"Making the Most Out of Growing US-Uzbekistan Trade and Investment "
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
Crossoads Asia
The Diplomat
19 September, 2026
Published: https://thediplomat.com/2026/09/making-the-most-out-of-growing-us-uzbekistan-trade-and-investment/
Uzbekistan aims to attract greater U.S. investment, and is making its own investments in the United States. But it can’t forget the people.
"Central Asia’s growing appetite for drones"
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
Warsight
26 August, 2026
Published: https://warsight.com/2026/08/26/central-asias-growing-appetite-for-drones/
The militaries of the five Central Asian countries– Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan – inherited a large inventory of platforms and systems after gaining independence from the Soviet Union. Three and a half decades later, the five militaries are modernising their equipment and these countries are turning to extra-regional suppliers.
For example, Kazakhstan has received its first Airbus A400M transport aircraft in December 2024, while in February 2026 Embraer announced the sale of two C-390 Millennium transport aircraft to the Uzbekistani Air Force. Domestic industries are also developing ground vehicles such as armoured personnel carriers (APCs), and modernising legacy systems. Moreover, drone fever has arrived in the region.
"Ankara-Tashkent relations: What’s the next milestone?"
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez and Marin Ekstrom
6 June 2026
Modern Diplomacy
Published: https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2026/06/06/ankara-tashkent-relations-whats-the-next-milestone/
How far integration will go between Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Türkiye, and Uzbekistan is debatable.
The Organization of Turkic States (OTS) recently held a summit focused on “Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development.” While the May 15 meeting itself did not offer any groundbreaking resolutions, all five heads of the OTS member states participated and reaffirmed their commitment to greater cooperation and integration. This summit was just one example in a series of events that demonstrate growing unity and collaboration among the Turkic states.
How far integration will go between Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Türkiye, and Uzbekistan is debatable. There are several regional initiatives that are bringing these countries, as well as other states across the Caucasus and Central Asia, together, including connectivity projects such as the Middle Corridor and the Uzbek-Kyrgyz-Chinese railway, as well as agencies such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Eurasian Economic Union.
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"As Uzbekistan Prepares for the World Cup, What’s Next for Uzbek Football?"
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
The Diplomat
14 May, 2026
The current decade could become the first golden era of Uzbek football, exemplified by two youth championships and participation at the upcoming World Cup.
"Setting Realistic Expectations for Kazakhstan’s Regional Ecological Summi"
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
Crossroads Asia
The Diplomat
20 April, 2026
The Regional Ecological Summit could kickstart a wider climate activism campaign in the greater Central Asian region, or it could just be a short-term, pro-green mirage.
"Try, Try Again: New Bills Submitted to Address the Jackson-Vanik Problem"
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
The Diplomat
Trans-Pacific Review
17 November, 2025
Two new bills have been submitted to the U.S. Congress to deal the Cold War-era Jackson-Vanik amendment.
"Japan and South Korea: Vital partners in the New Uzbekistan"
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez and Marin Ekstrom
Modern Diplomacy
28 October 2025
Published: https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2025/10/29/japan-and-south-korea-vital-partners-in-the-new-uzbekistan/
Uzbekistan has recently commenced construction of a new airport in Tashkent, valued at $2.5 billion, as a symbol of the country’s reinvention.
Uzbekistan has recently commenced construction of a new airport in Tashkent, valued at $2.5 billion, as a symbol of the country’s reinvention. The project, slated to begin operations in 2029, aims to serve as Central Asia’s key aviation hub by supporting more than 40 take-offs and landings per hour and serving 20 million passengers annually. Economists predict that increased air traffic at the airport could generate $27 billion in annual revenue and create thousands of new jobs.
To achieve this ambitious goal, Tokyo and Seoul will be critical partners: Japan’s Sojitz Corporation, which has extensive experience in the aviation sector, has agreed to invest millions of dollars and share technical expertise. As for South Korea, the Incheon International Airport Corporation (IIAC) signed a $24.5 million consulting contract to provide operational and service support for the development of the new Tashkent airport.
"The Enduring Legacy of US-Uzbekistan Exchange Program"
Marin Ekstrom and Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
The Diplomat
Crossroads Asia
8 October 2025
Published: https://thediplomat.com/2025/10/the-enduring-legacy-of-us-uzbekistan-exchange-programs/
At the annual alumni conference, the transformative power of people-to-people programs was on full display.
The power of people-to-people initiatives was on full display at the 2025 U.S Exchange Alumni Conference, held in Nukus, Republic of Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan, on September 27-28, which one of the authors of this commentary attended. The annual event, co-organized by the U.S. Embassy in Uzbekistan, American Councils, and the Regional Alumni Representatives (RARs), provided an opportunity for approximately 100 Uzbek former participants in U.S. exchange programs to share their experiences and discuss the ongoing impact on their professional and personal lives.
"Washington Discusses the Future of Central Asia-US Relations, While Beijing Takes Concrete Action"
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
Crossroads Asia
The Diplomat
28 June 2025
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
Crossroads Asia
The Diplomat
9 May 2025
Published: https://thediplomat.com/2025/05/pace-issues-declaration-on-afghan-women-in-central-asia/
Members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe recently signed a declaration noting the dire situation of Afghan women and girls, some of whom are in Central Asia receiving education.
"Europe Looks East to Central Asia"
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
Silk Road Rivalries
The National Interest
31 March 2025
Published: https://nationalinterest.org/blog/silk-road-rivalries/europe-looks-east-to-central-asia
The European Union and Central Asia must continue moving engagement to the next level, from discussions and statements to actions across a broader spectrum.
The first-ever European Union (EU)-Central Asia (CA) summit will take place between April 3–4 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Josef Sikela, the European Union’s Commissioner for International Partnerships, recently highlighted the importance of this region, as “Central Asia is a €340 billion [$368 billion] economy that’s growing fast.” Indeed, Central Asia has great potential, and the upcoming summit will be a diplomatic milestone that could cement inter-regional trade and investment.
"Tashkent’s busy diplomatic agenda"
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
NE Global
28 February 2025
Published: https://www.neglobal.eu/tashkents-busy-diplomatic-agenda/
In the coming months, Uzbekistan will host high-profile summits between Central Asia with the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council. As global geopolitics continue to be in flux, Uzbekistan in particular, and Central Asia in general, are adapting to this evolving world. Hosting high-level meetings with Brussels & the Gulf States and recent bilateral discussions with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and even the Taliban suggest that Tashkent is eager to engage with current and new partners and approach unavoidable, high-risk neighbors.
"Central Asia needs regional and international cooperation to bolster water security"
Water security is an urgent issue that demands immediate attention from Central Asian governments, businesses, civil society, and their international partners. Climate change, population growth, infrastructure problems, a lack of government foresight, and the unequal distribution of precious water resources between the upstream countries (Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan) and the downstream nations (Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) have created a “perfect storm” of pressing water insecurity. The 2021 Central Asia drought, the loss of the Aral Sea, the evaporation of glaciers in the Tian Shan mountains, and the alarming shrinking of the Caspian Sea are reminders of how natural and man-made disasters have destructive consequences on Central Asia’s strained water resources.
This report addresses the status of water security across the five Central Asian countries, outlining recent developments, ongoing challenges, and opportunities for improvement. Geopolitically, interstate tensions and the role of international politics—e.g., influence from the West, Russia, and China and tensions with Afghanistan—all will continue to affect the region’s water security. This report will address international cooperation in projects for water sharing, including the current and future role of agencies like the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea and partners like the United States Agency for International Development, the World Bank, and extraregional governments. The report concludes with a holistic set of policy recommendations to help improve water security in Central Asia.
Event: "Report launch: Water insecurity in Central Asia"
7 February 2025
Atlantic Council
https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/report-launch-water-insecurity-in-central-asia/
"Trump 2.0 and Central Asia: Optimism After Rubio’s Comment"
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
Crossroads Asia
Central Asia
27 January 2025
Published: https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/trump-2-0-and-central-asia-optimism-after-rubios-comments/
During his nomination hearing last week, now-Secretary of State Marco Rubio endorsed the annulment of the Jackson-Vanik amendment, although its removal is ultimately a Congressional task.
"Not-So-Nearshoring: The Case for a US-Uzbekistan Critical Minerals Partnership"
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
Opinion
Geopolitical Monitor
8 January, 2025
For the United States, obtaining access to critical minerals (CMs) and rare earth elements (REEs) is a strategy now associated with nearshoring. However, Washington is also engaging Uzbekistan, as the Central Asian nation is wealthy with CMs. The final quarter of 2024 saw several high-level meetings and agreements between Washington and Tashkent, which deserve more significant discussion.
"Transforming Central Asia from a frontier market to a stable investment"
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
NEGlobal
21 December, 2024
Originally: https://www.neglobal.eu/transforming-central-asia-from-a-frontier-market-to-a-stable-investment/
Central Asia is considered a frontier market. However, at least two of the five countries that constitute this region, namely Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, are eager to diversify their economies and attract investors to new industries. While global geopolitics will remain unstable throughout 2025, Astana and Tashkent want to reassure investors that, in a volatile world and geographically distant region, investors should feel confident about “taking a chance” and investing in these countries.
To attract new investors, both governments are creating special economic zones and tax-free regimes that are more investor friendly. The two countries also engage in public relations campaigns to approach potential Western investors. For example, Uzbekistan organized the Third Tashkent International Investment Forum this year. There are also events in Washington, DC, as the American-Uzbekistan Chamber of Commerce (AUCC) co-hosted a panel titled “Beyond Geopolitics: Strengthening U.S.-Central Asia Ties through Trade and Investment,” held on December 12 at the George Washington University in the U.S. capital.
"The West’s role in solving Central Asia’s water crisis"
The Caspian Sea, vital to Eurasia’s economy and environment, is shrinking at an alarming rate. The declining water level in the sea is one visible consequence of a larger regional water crisis faced by the C5 nations of Central Asia—Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. This water crisis threatens the more than 82 million people who call the largely arid region home.
A forthcoming Atlantic Council report written by the authors, “Water insecurity in Central Asia: The need for collective action,” explores the global resources that can be mobilized and to what ends they can be quickly directed. This report will provide a practical roadmap that regional and international actors can employ to solve problems in the near and medium terms without massively increasing investments.
"Can the US Be a Weapons Supplier to Central Asia?"
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
Crossroads Asia
The Diplomat
29 November 2024
Originally published: https://thediplomat.com/2024/11/can-the-us-be-a-weapons-supplier-to-central-asia/
The United States’ footprint in the Central Asian arms market is minimal, but the State Department believes this situation could change in the future.
"Could Iran be a Gateway for Central Asia"
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
Crossroads Asia
The Diplomat
6 June, 2024
Originally published: https://thediplomat.com/2024/06/could-iran-be-a-gateway-for-central-asia/
Connecting with Iran may be tempting for Central Asian countries like Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, but increased relations with Tehran may ultimately be counterproductive.
Presentation: "The Role of the United States: A Green 5+1 Proposal"
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
Green 5+1 for Central Asia
Jamestown Foundation
Washington, DC
25 April 2024
https://jamestown.org/event/green-51-for-central-asia/
1:00 – 2:30 pm—Central Asia Becoming Part of the Solution
