A session dedicated to mineral resources and the mining industry was held in Samarkand within the C5+1 framework.

On October 19, 2026, a sectoral session entitled “Mineral Resources and Mining” was held at the Hilton Samarkand Regency Hotel as part of the C5+1 Business Forum.

The event brought together representatives of government agencies from Central Asian countries and the United States, international financial institutions, mining and technology companies, investors, and industry experts. The session was organized in connection with the visit of the American delegation led by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Opening the discussion, Bobur Islamov, Minister of Mining Industry and Geology of the Republic of Uzbekistan, outlined the sector’s development priorities and the country’s investment opportunities. He placed particular emphasis on ongoing reforms, improvements to subsoil legislation, the adoption of modern technologies, and attracting long-term investment.

Key topics included the development of geological exploration and the development of new deposits, modernization of mining enterprises, deeper processing of mineral raw materials, and expansion of activities involving strategically important minerals. Participants also discussed establishing joint ventures, localizing equipment production, training qualified specialists, and developing production chains with high added value.

The panel discussion featured representatives of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation and Kazakhstan’s National Center for Technology Foresight. Proposals were also presented by FLSmidth, Traxys, Cove Capital Investments, and Dynamic Aviation, as well as representatives of the Colorado School of Mines.

Participants exchanged views on opportunities to apply modern technologies in mineral exploration, extraction, and processing. They considered prospects for financing new projects, supplying technological equipment, and strengthening cooperation between Uzbek enterprises and American partners.

Following the panel discussion, B2B and G2B meetings were held. Representatives of government agencies and businesses had the opportunity to discuss promising projects and practical next steps for expanding cooperation.

The C5+1 Business Forum brought together sectoral sessions dedicated to digital technologies, education and healthcare, mineral resources, energy and transport infrastructure, agriculture, the textile industry, finance, and investment. The main objective of the event was to expand direct business ties between Central Asian countries and the United States of America.