BISHKEK – U.S. Special Envoy for South and Central Asia Sergio Gor and U.S. Senator Steve Daines used their visit to Bishkek this week to put business squarely at the center of Washington’s engagement with Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia, with discussions focused on investment, trade, infrastructure and practical steps for turning ideas into deals.
Gor and Daines arrived for the opening of the World Nomad Games to cheer on the US team, a visit that coincided with the SCO Summit on its 25th anniversary. The Games were only part of the visit. Much of the agenda focused on economic engagement. They were accompanied by Bethany Morrison, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia at the U.S. Department of State.
“Called on President Zhaparov today in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic,” Gor tweeted. “Many great opportunities for our two nations to work together. We look forward to welcoming President Zhaparov to the United States next month to further advance our growing partnership.”
U.S. officials met President Sadyr Japarov on Aug. 31 and held separate talks in Bishkek with Economy and Commerce Minister Sydykov and other officials. Edil Baisalov, Kyrgyz Ambassador to the U.S., accompanied the delegation to their meetings with Kyrgyz officials.
Their Bishkek schedule also included meetings with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon.
Discussions with Kyrgyz officials covered steps needed to advance different types of projects, opportunities for business-to-business cooperation and ways to connect U.S. companies with projects and partners in Kyrgyzstan and the wider region.
Mining was among the sectors in focus, as expected, alongside infrastructure, energy, technology and trade. The discussions focused on identifying viable projects, connecting companies and resolving financing and implementation issues.
Daines and Gor. Image: https://x.com/USAmbIndia/status/2094364843390476459
More than Business
The agenda was overwhelmingly commercial, though not exclusively, as Gor himself tweeted: “A very productive meeting with President Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan. We discussed ongoing cooperation in energy, commerce, and building more robust security ties between our nations. Looking forward to big announcements soon between the U.S. and Uzbekistan.”
Or consider this tweet: “Pleased to meet with Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon. Together, the U.S. and Tajikistan are growing our commercial engagement, expanding our health cooperation, and strengthening security and counterterrorism cooperation.” Gor mentioned “security cooperation” with Kazakhstan as well.
The latest visit builds on an economic agenda already being developed through the B5+1 business forum, which Gor attended in Bishkek earlier this year. The forum brought together businesses and government officials from the United States and the five Central Asian states, with an emphasis on investment, market access and reducing obstacles to private-sector activity.
The discussions in Bishkek also touched on the next C5+1 summit, the U.S.-Central Asian leaders’ format involving Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Kyrgyzstan offered to host the next summit in Bishkek.
L/R – Bethany Morrison, Daines, Gor, US Amb Lesslie Viguerie. Image: https://x.com/USAmbIndia/status/2094303173481844848
For Daines, the visit extended work he has been pursuing on Capitol Hill as chairman of the Senate Central Asia Caucus, which promotes stronger U.S. trade and investment ties with the region. He has repeatedly highlighted opportunities for American companies in mining, energy, technology, agriculture and infrastructure and has called for concrete commercial projects and greater private-sector participation. For Kyrgyzstan, the objective is to attract American capital, technology and expertise. For U.S. companies, the region offers new markets and opportunities in natural resources, infrastructure, energy, transportation and technology.
Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Economy and Commerce has been closely involved in that effort, promoting investment, financing, technology transfer and stronger commercial links as part of the country’s push to attract foreign capital. Gor met with Minister Sydykov.
The U.S. message was notably transactional: find projects, connect businesses, secure financing and move them forward. The World Nomad Games brought Gor and Daines to Bishkek, but business dominated the agenda.
