Rubio signals new US business and critical-minerals deals in Uzbekistan

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said American companies are preparing to announce new agreements in Uzbekistan as Washington looks to deepen its economic role in Central Asia. Speaking in Samarkand on Monday, he said the visit could produce concrete deals and described the trip as the start of broader US engagement with the region. Rubio said nearly 300 American businesses were represented in Samarkand for discussions that could lead to agreements worth billions of dollars.

Rubio said the State Department had previously put the number of accompanying US business leaders at more than 200, underscoring the scale of the delegation. He told reporters that announcements would follow the forum's meetings, but said no final list of agreements or values had been released at the time of his remarks. He added that the talks were not a one-off event, saying: "This is not the end.

This is the beginning." The comments came during a visit aimed at expanding commercial ties and identifying new areas of cooperation. Critical minerals were one of the main sectors Rubio highlighted for possible cooperation with Uzbekistan. He said it was not sensible for the world to depend on one place for all of any essential material, and argued that supply-chain diversification had become an international priority.

Rubio said resource-rich countries could also benefit by developing mineral deposits and processing capacity responsibly. He said the United States would explore that opportunity in Uzbekistan, where officials and businesses are seeking investment and technology to develop mineral resources. The remarks reflect a wider US effort to increase its economic presence in Central Asia at a time when supply chains for strategic materials remain highly concentrated.

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For Washington, access to critical minerals has become a growing policy concern because they are expected to play a major role in industries and technologies shaping the 21st century. For Uzbekistan, the talks point to a possible route to attract capital, expertise and new export opportunities while broadening its international partnerships. The issue has also featured in wider regional diplomacy.

Rubio said the subject was discussed at the C5+1 summit hosted by US President Donald Trump in Washington in November 2025, indicating that the current visit builds on earlier engagement with Central Asian governments. Uzbekistan and its neighbours have been seeking more investment and technology to develop their mineral sectors, while the United States and Europe have been looking for alternatives to highly concentrated supply chains. The Samarkand forum therefore sits at the intersection of trade, industrial policy and geopolitical competition.

What remains unclear is which agreements will be announced and how much commercial value they will carry. Rubio did not provide a final list of deals, and the companies involved had not been named in the remarks available. The next key point to watch is whether the talks produce signed commitments in critical minerals or other sectors, and whether they lead to a longer-term US commercial presence in Uzbekistan and the wider region.

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