NUR-SULTAN (TCA) — The US State Department says that Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, David Hale, will travel to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan on August 20-23.
In Nur-Sultan, Under Secretary Hale will meet with senior government officials to discuss the U.S.–Kazakhstan enhanced strategic partnership and ongoing close cooperation on bilateral and global issues. While in Nur-Sultan, Under Secretary Hale and Central Asian states’ foreign ministers will hold a high-level meeting in the C5+1 format, where they will discuss joint efforts toward a better-connected, more prosperous, and more secure Central Asia.
The C5+1 format was established in November 2015 “to address common security and environmental challenges, improve regional trade flows, and enhance prospects for U.S. trade and investment with the region,” including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan.
Under Secretary Hale will then travel to Tashkent, where he will meet with senior Uzbek government officials and demonstrate American support for Uzbek President Mirziyoyev’s reform agenda and encourage deeper bilateral cooperation on issues, including security, education, and trade.
