BUDAPEST, October 19. /Dunyo IA/. Zoltán Peterecz, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of British and American Studies at Eszterházy Károly Catholic University, in an interview with the Dunyo IA, commented on the upcoming working visit of the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Uzbekistan:

- Visit of the U.S. Secretary of State, accompanied by a representative delegation of American business, may testify to Washington's desire to further strengthen the strategic partnership with Uzbekistan, as well as its interest in expanding investment, trade and economic cooperation.

The participation of representatives from more than 100 American companies attaches particular importance to the economic component of the bilateral agenda. Holding a meeting of the American-Uzbek Business and Investment Council and the expected signing of a package of documents can create additional conditions for the development of practical cooperation, the implementation of joint projects, and the attraction of American investments into various sectors of the economy of Uzbekistan.

At the same time, the strategic significance of the visit is not limited to bilateral economic issues. The geographical location of Uzbekistan gains additional importance in the context of the ongoing crisis around Ukraine and tensions in the Middle East, including the situation surrounding Iran. In this regard, Central Asia is of interest to the United States from the perspective of regional stability, the development of transport and logistics links, the diversification of trade routes and the expansion of political dialogue with the countries of the region.

Holding a “C5+1” Ministerial Meeting within the framework of the visit also underscores the commitment to discussing regional issues on a multilateral basis. This format allows for the consideration of security, economic interconnectivity, energy and sustainable development in a broader regional context, alongside the development of bilateral relations between the United States and Uzbekistan.

Thus, the upcoming visit of Marco Rubio can be viewed as a significant opportunity to further strengthen the Uzbek-American strategic partnership, expand trade and investment cooperation and deepen interaction on topical regional and international issues.