US policy in Central Asia: goals and approaches

During this period of confrontation between the great powers, Central Asia is considered by Western countries [the US and its allies] primarily as a potential source of problems for their systemic competitors - Russia and China. After February 2022, this feature of Western politics, primarily American, began to manifest itself more vividly.

The main goals of US policy in Central Asia

There have been no drastic changes in US policy towards the countries of the region since the Biden administration came to power. In particular, the program document of the American policy in Central Asia has not been updated. The region is mentioned in the latest edition of the US National Security Strategy, which states the need to maintain a democratic course, regional integration and energy security of the countries of the region.

The differences are mainly in accents: under Biden, the anti-Russian orientation of policy in the region became more clearly defined. During the Trump administration, China was the main target of the US.

For example, if during the visit of US Secretary of State Pompeo to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan anti-Chinese rhetoric was predominantly heard, during the visit of current Secretary of State Blinken there were more anti-Russian statements.

American policy in Central Asia as a whole is aimed at achieving two key goals:

1. To encourage the countries of the region to integrate without the participation of Russia and China, thereby weakening the positions of the main competitors.

2. To strengthen the positions of pro-American forces in the political environment, as well as in the cultural and educational spheres.

A multi-faceted approach

The C5+1 remains the main multilateral format of cooperation between the US and Central Asian countries. This format has been in effect since 2015, and a secretariat was established within the framework of the forum in 2022, which coordinates the activities of three working groups: on economics, energy and environmental protection, and security.

The Biden administration is also actively putting forward regional initiatives. One of the main goals of the Economic Sustainability Initiative for Central Asia was to expand trade routes bypassing Russia. The Regional Security Initiative, launched after the C5+1 ministerial meeting in 2023, is designed to "...mitigate the unintended consequences of sanctions" for the countries of the region.

Other multilateral initiatives include the Council of the Framework Agreement on Trade and Investment (in existence since 2004), the Regional Cooperation annual joint military exercises and individual initiatives of the American Agency for International Development (USAID). In particular, USAID is promoting an initiative to create a single electricity market in the region.

US policy towards Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan is an equally important partner of the US in the region. Uzbekistan has the largest population in the region. Unlike Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan is not a member of the CSTO or the EAEU and does not border with China and Russia. Despite the complicated history of relations, the US and Uzbekistan still had a period of close cooperation in 2001-2005.

American think tanks often see Uzbekistan as the core of a future coalition from the countries of the region, which supposedly will have to restrain Russia. For example, a similar scenario was considered in the material of the Heritage Foundation.

Noteworthy, in both countries there are lobbyists for the accelerated development of American-Uzbek relations. In the US, it is an Institute of Central Asia and the Caucasus, which has close ties with the US Department of Defense. Among the supporters of rapprochement with the US from Tashkent, one can single out former Foreign Minister A. Kamilov, Deputy Chairman of the upper house of Parliament S. Safoyev, and Minister for the Development of Information Technologies and Communications Sh. Shermatov.

The US is gradually increasing investment activity in Uzbekistan; cooperation is mainly developing in such areas as the development and trade of energy resources (gas, uranium and oil), pharmaceuticals. The parties are building up ties in the military-technical sphere, as well as in the field of military education.

Cooperation in the field of education is also actively developing between the two countries. The parties are developing joint training programs for specialists, including in such areas as journalism and public administration.

Source: Daryo.uz

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