Central Asian Leaders Gather in Washington: Agendas Extend Beyond Trade

This article was initially published by Eurasianet.

Leaders from Central Asia have arrived in Washington for a summit with President Donald Trump, bringing with them a wide-ranging agenda that goes beyond just trade issues.

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was the first to arrive in Washington on November 4. He is scheduled to meet with U.S. lawmakers and business leaders on November 5, followed by participation in the White House summit the next day, which is being held in the C5+1 format.

It is anticipated that Trump will direct the summit’s focus toward one of his key interests: enhancing U.S. access to Central Asia’s rich reserves of critical minerals and rare earth elements. High-level discussions on this topic have been ongoing since the summit was confirmed on October 26. Coinciding with this announcement, two senior U.S. diplomats began a four-day trip to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Furthermore, on November 4, Kazakh Energy Minister Erlan Akkezhenov met with Doug Burgum, U.S. Secretary of the Interior and chair of the National Energy Dominance Council.

However, regional analysts do not expect significant announcements regarding critical minerals to emerge from the summit on November 6. The short notice of the meeting suggests it is “unlikely to make substantial progress” on such a sensitive and complicated matter, according to Emilbek Dzhuraev, a political scientist at the OSCE Academy in Bishkek.

To foster a collaborative atmosphere, U.S. officials should acknowledge the multi-faceted positions of Central Asian nations regarding critical minerals and trade matters. Dzhuraev remarked that a zero-sum mentality, where the U.S. aims to monopolize access to these resources, is impractical, especially with China continuing to play a crucial role as the region’s largest trading partner.

It is essential for Trump to assure Central Asian leaders that strengthening ties with Washington does not necessitate shutting out other countries, he added. “[Russian President Vladimir] Putin will be paying close attention to … what transpires in Washington,” he noted.

With the limited schedule, Central Asian leaders may find it difficult to address all the issues they hope to bring to the Trump administration’s attention.

One trade-related topic that regional leaders want the summit to address is the regime of the Taliban in Afghanistan, which obstructs Central Asia’s access to seaports. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have recently taken the lead in efforts to engage the Taliban, recognizing the necessity of cooperation to tackle urgent regional challenges, such as the growing scarcity of water resources.

Since the Taliban regained power, the U.S. has refrained from recognizing the government primarily due to its oppressive policies, particularly towards women. Central Asian leaders believe that for meaningful trade objectives to be achieved, the U.S. and European Union should adopt a more pragmatic stance.

According to Dzhuraev, these leaders «hold the view that engagement with the Taliban is essential and that complete detachment from Kabul has not yielded productive results.»

Specific country issues may also be on the agenda for discussion during the summit. Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov is likely to raise concerns about U.S. immigration policy and the restrictions on non-immigrant visas for Kyrgyz citizens, who can no longer obtain 10-year, multi-entry visas and must instead apply for single-entry visas for 90 days. Similar restrictions apply to Turkmen citizens.

Dzhuraev suggested that Japarov might also address U.S. sanctions on the Kyrgyz banking sector, which U.S. and British officials have pointed to as assisting Russia in acquiring equipment and technology for its military actions in Ukraine.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev will likely advocate for a collective response to an impending environmental crisis — the declining water levels of the Caspian Sea. He may stress that this situation poses risks to trade along the Middle Corridor, a key U.S. policy priority. Reduced water levels complicate cargo access to critical ports, including Aktau. Kazakh officials are also seeking assurances from the Trump administration about efforts to work with Congress to lift the Jackson-Vanik trade restrictions on Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are eager to broaden cultural and educational exchanges to cultivate a managerial class in Central Asia, equipped with the necessary skills and expertise to modernize their economies.

On the other hand, human rights and political freedoms are expected to be sidelined during the summit, according to Dzhuraev. Since Trump returned to the presidency in January, issues related to human rights have taken a back seat to trade negotiations in U.S. foreign policy.

Given Trump’s previous approach to rights-related matters, he is unlikely to respond to an open letter from a Tajik opposition group, the Movement for Reform and Growth. In their letter dated November 5, the group urges Trump to confront the issue of political repression in Tajikistan during his meeting with the country’s leader, Emomali Rahmon, and to advocate for the release of political prisoners.

“Ignoring the political repression crisis in Tajikistan could destabilize Central Asia, promote extremism, and lead to a loss of strategic control in a region already rife with competition among authoritarian forces,” the letter warns.