Uzbekistan–US Relations Enter Phase of Regular Strategic Communication

Relations between Uzbekistan and the United States have advanced into a phase of regular strategic communication, reflecting a shift from symbolic engagement to structured, results-driven cooperation, according to an expert from the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan.

Commenting to Dunyo IA on President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s working visit to Washington from February 17 to 19, the expert said the trip marked a logical continuation of Uzbekistan’s pragmatic and mutually beneficial dialogue with the United States. The visit coincided with Mirziyoyev’s participation in the first meeting of the Board of Peace and underscored expanding coordination across security, economic, trade, and humanitarian fields.

The expert noted that the visit capped an intensive six-month period of high-level engagement, including meetings on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, the C5+1 summit, and the signing of the Board of Peace Charter. Frequent leader-level contacts — five summits within six months — indicate that bilateral ties have entered a stable rhythm supported by concrete agreements.

During his stay in the United States, Mirziyoyev held talks with representatives of the U.S. administration, financial institutions, and major corporations. Engagements included discussions with the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the International Development Finance Corporation, the American-Uzbekistan Chamber of Commerce, and leading firms such as Traxys, Valmont Industries, Gulf Oil, Aviagen, John Deere, BlackRock Financial Markets Advisory, and Oppenheimer.

Bilateral documents signed during the visit focused on priority sectors including the agro-industrial complex, critical minerals, financial market development, investment climate improvement, and the creation of a joint investment platform. Talks with the U.S. Trade Representative and the Secretary of Commerce also stressed the need to intensify cooperation under the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, giving the partnership a stronger regional dimension.

The expert highlighted that the current trajectory builds on foundations laid during Mirziyoyev’s first official visit to Washington in 2018, when agreements worth more than $4.8 billion were concluded. The establishment of the Strategic Partnership Dialogue in 2021 further institutionalized relations, while the Uzbek leader’s invitation to the G20 summit in Miami — initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump — reflected growing international recognition of Uzbekistan’s role.

Economic cooperation continues to expand steadily. Bilateral trade, which stood at $408 million in 2018, has exceeded $1 billion by the end of 2024–2025. A three-year Economic Cooperation Program valued at $35 billion signals long-term commitment, with cooperation increasingly shifting from trade flows toward investment and production projects.

Major American companies — including Air Products, General Electric, General Motors, Boeing, Honeywell, and John Deere — are actively operating in Uzbekistan. The $8.7 billion package of agreements reached at the C5+1 summit, including the purchase of 22 Boeing aircraft and investments in critical minerals and agriculture, further demonstrates the practical orientation of the partnership.

The export structure is also evolving. Services now account for roughly 86% of Uzbekistan’s exports to the United States, with the IT sector serving as the main growth engine. Of the country’s 800 digital services exporters, 448 target the U.S. market, representing about 45% of total industry exports — a sign that bilateral cooperation is becoming increasingly technology-driven.

Humanitarian and educational ties are expanding in parallel. Around 40 Uzbek universities now maintain partnerships with more than 25 U.S. institutions. Webster University’s Tashkent campus and the American University of Technology, established jointly with Arizona State University, illustrate the development of a long-term intellectual foundation for the strategic partnership.

Overall, the expert concluded, Uzbekistan–U.S. relations are moving decisively from declaratory diplomacy toward systemic coordination in regional security, sustainable development, investment policy, and technological modernization — reinforcing Uzbekistan’s position as a key American partner in Central Asia.