C5+1: The White House prepares for a summit with Central Asian leaders

On November 6, a C5+1-format Central Asia–United States summit will be held at the White House, the presidential residence in Washington, D.C. The meeting will be attended by the leaders of the Central Asian countries and U.S. President Donald Trump. President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has already arrived in Washington.

The question of why Washington suddenly decided to host this summit is an interesting one. If we look at the sequence of events, U.S. Congress members Sydney Kamlager-Dove and Bill Huizenga sent a letter to President Donald Trump, proposing to hold a C5+1 summit in Washington in honor of the 10th anniversary of the diplomatic forum. Trump approved the idea and sent the U.S. Special Representative for South and Central Asia, Sergio Gore, together with Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. They met with the leadership of both countries and agreed on the necessary arrangements. As a result, a historic summit is expected to take place tomorrow at the White House.

The history of C5+1

For the United States, the importance of the C5+1 lies in limiting Russian and Chinese influence in Central Asia and advancing its own strategic interests. For the Central Asian states, it represents an opportunity to address regional and global challenges in cooperation with the world’s largest economy, while strengthening integration and friendly relations. In this sense, the summit is equally significant for both sides.

The idea of C5+1 dates back to 2015. On September 26 of that year, during the 70th session of the UN General Assembly, then–U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met with the foreign ministers of the five Central Asian countries. His proposal to establish regular dialogue on political, economic, and security issues was supported by all parties, leading to the creation of the C5+1 initiative.

The first summit took place on November 1, 2015, in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. During this successful meeting, the six participating states adopted a declaration to expand cooperation in trade, transport, and energy. Since then, C5+1 summits have been held annually.

The second summit was hosted in Washington on August 3, 2016, marking the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the countries. At the conclusion of the summit, the United States and the five Central Asian nations launched five joint projects worth up to $15 million in total financial support. In subsequent years, this tradition continued, and in 2017, 2019, 2020, and 2021, diplomatic dialogues were even held twice a year.

Even during the pandemic, cooperation among the parties did not cease. On February 3, 2020, a summit in Tashkent brought together U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the foreign ministers of Central Asia to discuss regional efforts on the Afghan peace process, border security, and economic and energy cooperation. Later that same year, on June 30, the second summit was held via videoconference due to COVID-19 restrictions. The sides discussed the economic effects of the pandemic and agreed to maintain strong ties.

On September 19, 2023, a C5+1 summit took place in New York on the sidelines of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly. This meeting was of particular historical importance as it was held for the first time at the presidential level. Participants included Presidents Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan, Sadyr Japarov of Kyrgyzstan, Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov of Turkmenistan, and then-U.S. President Joe Biden. The summit addressed the development of the U.S.–Central Asia strategic partnership, expansion of trade and economic cooperation, political dialogue, U.S. investment, green development, regional security, transnational crime, and humanitarian issues.

However, it should be noted that the main goal of these summits was not solely to assist Central Asia, but also to curb the influence of “anti-American” forces in the region and to promote agreements favorable to U.S. interests. For this reason, some projects agreed upon at previous meetings remained on paper, and certain investment initiatives were halted for various reasons.

C5+ the world

The Central Asian region, geographically located at the heart of the Eurasian continent, has always been a focal point of global politics. Rich in natural resources and serving as a vital transit hub, the region continues to play a key role in global strategic affairs. Hence, major powers have long sought to exert influence there. The “C5+” format has become an effective diplomatic tool in this competition.

On May 8, 2023, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying announced that Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping would host the “China–Central Asia” summit in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, on May 18–19. Leaders of the Central Asian states were invited to attend. On the morning of May 19, six-party negotiations were held, during which China announced that it would provide a total of 26 billion yuan in financial assistance and grants to Central Asian countries. It also pledged to introduce more trade facilitation measures, renew bilateral investment agreements, and accelerate construction of the China–Central Asia Gas Pipeline’s D line. The summit resulted in 54 major consensuses and initiatives, including the creation of 19 multilateral cooperation platforms and nine joint cooperation documents.

Following the success of the first summit, the heads of state agreed to hold the forum biennially. In line with this agreement, the next China–Central Asia summit was held in Astana, Kazakhstan, on June 16–18, 2025.

Not wanting to lose its influence in the region, Russia also began organizing summits in the “C5+” format. The first such meeting took place in Astana on October 14, 2022. Initiated by Moscow, the summit discussed issues such as maintaining common trade and economic interests amid a shifting geopolitical landscape and ensuring regional security in light of developments in Afghanistan. The growing influence of China and the U.S. in the region forced the Kremlin to adopt a more cooperative tone. Gradually, Russia shifted from a commanding position to that of a more consultative partner. This trend became especially evident during the second “Central Asia–Russia” summit, held on October 9 this year in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Central Asian leaders used the opportunity to secure agreements serving their national interests.

The region’s importance extends beyond these three major powers. The European Union (EU) has also been actively engaging with Central Asia. A clear example of this was the summit held on April 4 this year in Samarkand, attended by European Council President António Costa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and the leaders of the Central Asian states, with Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev acting as host. The main topics on the agenda included security issues, economic cooperation, human rights, climate change, energy, trade, and investment.

Japan was among the first countries to establish close ties with Central Asia.

The Japan–Central Asia summit was officially announced at the ministerial level on August 28, 2004, during a meeting between the foreign ministers of Japan and four Central Asian countries in Astana, Kazakhstan. Subsequent meetings were held in Tashkent on March 4, 2005, and in Tokyo on June 5, 2006.

In conclusion, the Central Asian region today attracts considerable global attention. Major powers are eager to benefit from its rich resources, vast markets, and strategic transport routes. At the same time, Central Asian states are capitalizing on this competition by strengthening relations with influential partners and major exporters.

Expectations are high for the upcoming summit with the United States. Given America’s position as the world’s leading economy and Uzbekistan’s deepening relations with Washington in recent years, potential agreements could provide significant support for the country’s future initiatives on the global stage.

                                                                            Temur Suvonov