Rubio’s Uzbekistan trip underlines Central Asia’s hunt for diverse partners

What the report says

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is due in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, for the C5+1 summit with Central Asian ministers from Saturday to Tuesday, according to Al Jazeera. The gathering comes as Washington signals a more pragmatic, transaction-focused approach to the region, which sits between Russia, China and Iran and has long tried to balance competing foreign partners.

Al Jazeera places Rubio’s visit in the context of a wider shift in US policy. It says the Trump administration is showing less emphasis on democracy and human rights than earlier US administrations, and is instead prioritizing commercial and strategic interests. Those interests reportedly include access to rare-earth minerals and other critical resources, as well as broader geopolitical influence in an area where Moscow and Beijing remain highly active.

The article also highlights Uzbekistan as a central example of Central Asia’s search for diversified ties. It notes past tensions between Tashkent and Washington, including criticism of Uzbekistan’s internal crackdown under former president Islam Karimov, and says relations now appear to be warming. Al Jazeera reports that US and Uzbek officials have recently exchanged high-level contacts, including a visit by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s daughter to Washington earlier this month.

Analysts quoted by Al Jazeera say Central Asian governments are wary of overdependence on any one power and are receptive to a more business-like US approach, though some rights advocates argue that ignoring political freedoms could weaken the long-term value of the C5+1 format.