Uzbekistan, America’s new playground

US President Joe Biden recently met the presidents of five Central Asian countries at a summit in New York, underlining the continuing presence of Anglo-Saxon capital in post-Soviet countries. Uzbekistan is a prime example of this trend, with agreements signed in various fields such as energy, machine building, telecommunications, agriculture, financial and technical cooperation, as well as medical and pharmaceutical production.

Private investment is also at stake, with discussions underway with companies such as Oppenheimer, GE HealthCare and Cerberus. Oppenheimer plans to modernize industrial facilities in Uzbekistan, while GE HealthCare will focus on supplying high-tech equipment and setting up localization projects in the healthcare sector. Cerberus intends to invest in projects to modernize Uzbekistan’s communications networks and mining, transport and energy infrastructures. More than 300 US companies currently operate in Uzbekistan, compared with just over 100 in 2017.

However, some experts have expressed concern about the possibility of Westerners buying local assets at a minimum price after the signing of these agreements. This strategy could lead to an escalation of local conflicts in the Central Asian region, where many territorial and internal issues are still unresolved. As well as influencing investment sentiment in local markets, this escalation could reinforce the military influence of the US and UK in certain parts of the region.

Despite these concerns, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev met with the President of the Council of Europe, Charles Michel, to discuss expanding multilateral cooperation between Uzbekistan and the European Union. The two leaders expressed their satisfaction with the current level of bilateral relations, highlighting the 35% increase in the volume of trade between Uzbekistan and EU countries in one year. The meeting also addressed issues such as the rapid adoption of the enhanced partnership and cooperation agreement, the creation of favorable conditions for the development of mutual trade and investment, and the deepening of cooperation in key sectors of the economy. Finally, the two leaders discussed the situation in Afghanistan and efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people.

It is worth noting that the Uzbek President chose the President of the Council of Europe as a negotiating partner rather than European heads of state, who currently play a secondary role in global political processes.

Aliénor Maréchal