Tashkent, (TDI): In a move to enhance collaboration on critical minerals, US Ambassador to Uzbekistan Jonathan Henick and Uzbek First Deputy Minister of Geology Omonullo Nasritdinkhodjaev have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
This agreement underscores a mutual commitment to advancing efforts in this vital sector.
The signing ceremony, held ahead of Uzbekistan’s participation in MINExpo International— the mining industry’s premier global event scheduled from September 24 to 26 in Las Vegas—highlights the growing strategic partnership between the two nations.
The MoU is set against the backdrop of the C5+1 summit held in New York in September 2023, where US President Joe Biden, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and leaders from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan had pledged to establish a Critical Minerals Dialogue.
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The agreement reflects the shared objectives of both countries to enhance economic cooperation and foster investment that supports clean energy transitions while safeguarding Central Asia’s unique ecosystems.
Critical minerals and rare earth elements, crucial for clean energy technologies, are increasingly significant to the economies of both the US and Uzbekistan.
Commitment to Environmental Protection
The US Embassy in Uzbekistan has noted that the MoU also emphasizes the commitment to high standards of environmental protection, labor practices, and governance in the global mining sector.
Ambassador Henick remarked, “Our collaboration with Uzbekistan is essential for building resilient, secure supply chains that support the future energy landscape”.
He said that this memorandum represents a significant step in diversifying global mineral supply chains and strengthening our bilateral trade relations.
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We are thrilled to mark this achievement in our expanding Strategic Partnership with Uzbekistan, the envoy added.
This development follows Uzbekistan’s recent strategic partnership with the European Union on critical raw materials (CRMs), signed in April 2024.
With the second-largest reserves of CRMs in Central Asia—trailing only Kazakhstan—Uzbekistan is positioning itself as a key player in the global mining sector.
The country’s mining strategy is focused on augmenting CRM processing for both domestic and international markets, particularly in automotive and consumer electronics industries.
