US Congress members propose summit with Central Asian states to Donald Trump

US Congress members Sydney Kamlager-Dove and Bill Huizenga have sent a letter to President Donald Trump, urging him to host a C5+1 Summit in Washington to mark the 10th anniversary of the diplomatic forum. The statement was published on Representative Kamlager-Dove’s official website.

Established in 2015, the C5+1 forum serves as a multilateral platform for cooperation between the United States and the five Central Asian countries — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The United States has participated in its annual meetings since the forum’s inception.

In their letter, the congress members emphasized that the forum’s anniversary presents a unique opportunity to strengthen engagement with Central Asia and advance U.S. strategic interests in the fields of security, economy, soft power, and governance in the region.

“The President’s personal participation in the C5+1 Summit could turn the forum’s 10th anniversary into a significant diplomatic milestone and help define the direction of U.S.–Central Asia relations for the next decade,” the letter states.

The lawmakers also called on the administration to ensure tangible outcomes and agreements from the summit that would reinforce long-term areas of cooperation with Central Asia.

For reference, the C5+1 format was originally established in 2015. On September 19, 2023, the first-ever summit involving heads of state was held, attended by U.S. President Joseph Biden, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

It is worth noting that on September 27, 2024, within the framework of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, a meeting was held under the auspices of the C5+1 regional diplomatic platform between the Foreign Ministers of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, and the U.S. Secretary of State.