US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says US committed to building partnerships with all Central Asian countries

The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday (March 1) held a briefing in Uzbekistan’s capital Tashkent. In his speech, the high-level guest assured of the continued and full support by the US Government in the course of reforms of Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

'The partnership between our countries dates back to Uzbekistan’s independence.  It’s grown much closer in recent years.  Across all of my engagements here, what I come away with is a mutual and enthusiastic commitment to strengthening that partnership even further. That starts with deepening our ties with Uzbekistan’s young people'. 

'Over the past five years, the United States has invested $25mn in English-language education, teaming up with the government to train 15,000 Uzbekistani English teachers, and providing English-language textbooks to some 10,000 schools'
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken pic.twitter.com/K33mTLPN8y

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'And I had an opportunity to witness some of the work that we’re doing today sitting in on a class with some really extraordinary young people who are only three or four months into English-language education and already sounded incredibly fluent. This is about more than just learning a language.  It’s about empowering rising generations of Uzbeks to use their new skills to compete for jobs in markets that demand English proficiency, enabling connections with English speakers across the region and the world, opening doors to exchange programs in the United States, which can create new opportunities for people in both of our countries', US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in the briefing.

Antony Blinken emphasized that the International Labor Organization (ILO) determined that Uzbekistan’s cotton sector was free of child and forced labor last year.

Besides, Antony Blinken stressed that the United States is committed to building strong partnerships with all the Central Asian countries.

'And it starts with ongoing support for their sovereignty, for their independence, for their territorial integrity', Antony Blinken stressed.

'In addition to strengthening the U.S.-Uzbekistan relationship, we’re also working together to deepen regional integration.  Foreign Minister Saidov and I just came, as you know, from the C5+1 meeting in Astana, where I announced a new commitment to work with Congress to provide an additional $25mn to catalyze economic growth in Central Asia.  That brings our total investment in the region since our meeting on the margins of the UN General Assembly last September to more than $66mn.  We’re focused on diversifying trade routes, fostering greater private investment, providing job training', Antony Blinken added.

'What I think we also know very well is that Central Asia is a complicated part of the world, with long-standing relationships with different countries based on history, based on geography. And that's something that we all understand. But I think we also see each of these countries looking to multiply and deepen their relationships and partnerships with other countries around the world', the US Secretary of State said.