Uzbekistan and the United States have announced the launch of a new joint investment platform aimed at financing major bilateral projects and strengthening long-term economic cooperation between the two countries.
The announcement was made during the US–Uzbek Business Forum held in the capital Tashkent on the sidelines of the Global Investment Forum. Uzbek Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade Laziz Kudratov said the initiative will serve as a key mechanism to support joint projects between Uzbek and American companies and channel financing into priority sectors of Uzbekistan’s economy.
According to Kudratov, funding for the platform will be provided by the US through the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM), while Uzbekistan will contribute through its Reconstruction and Development Fund.
The mechanism is designed to close financing gaps that often delay promising projects and to open new investment opportunities in strategic sectors.
The minister noted that Uzbekistan is currently hosting the largest US business delegation in the history of bilateral relations, reflecting growing confidence among American companies that the country is a long-term investment partner rather than merely an emerging consumer market.
He also revealed proposals to establish a special economic zone dedicated to US companies, offering modern infrastructure, simplified procedures, advanced logistics services, reliable energy supplies, and government support to facilitate industrial and investment activities.
Kudratov added that investment opportunities would not be limited to mineral extraction but would also extend to value-added industries such as pharmaceuticals. The initiative comes as the United States seeks to strengthen critical mineral supply chains and expand its economic presence in Central Asia, a region where China and Russia remain dominant investors.
Uzbekistan, which has recorded annual economic growth of at least 6% in recent years, is positioning itself as a regional hub for industry, transport, and logistics. The country has also identified strategic minerals as a key growth sector and plans to implement 120 projects worth $4.2 billion between 2026 and 2030.
Caroline Lam, President of the US–Uzbekistan Chamber of Commerce, said economic ties between the two countries are expanding rapidly, noting that new US investments in Uzbekistan exceeded $1 billion last year and have already surpassed $2 billion this year.
Ben Black, CEO of the US International Development Finance Corporation, emphasized Washington’s commitment to building a long-term strategic partnership with Uzbekistan and Central Asia, highlighting the region’s young population and growing economic potential.
Meanwhile, John Jovanovic, Chairman and CEO of the US Export-Import Bank, reaffirmed readiness to support investment projects in key strategic sectors and to deepen economic and financial cooperation with Uzbekistan in the coming period.
