U.S. President Donald Trump has extended official invitations to the presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan to attend the upcoming C5+1 summit in Washington, scheduled for November 6, Azattyk reports.
The summit marks the second high-level meeting under the “Central Asia–U.S.” format, with the first having taken place in 2023 on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York under President Joe Biden.
Kazakhstan’s presidential press service confirmed that President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has responded to Trump’s invitation with a letter of appreciation, expressing his readiness to participate in the summit.
Uzbek media outlet Gazeta.uz, citing sources within the Uzbek presidential administration, reported that President Shavkat Mirziyoyev also received an invitation from President Trump to attend the C5+1 summit.
In parallel diplomatic developments, U.S. Special Envoy for South and Central Asia Sergio Gor and Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau arrived in Tashkent on October 25. According to the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent, their agenda includes high-level talks with Uzbek government officials on trade, investment, critical minerals, and energy cooperation. The delegation also met with representatives of U.S. businesses operating in the country to explore new avenues for mutual economic prosperity.
Washington has reiterated its commitment to deepening ties with Central Asia, as 2025 marks the tenth anniversary of the C5+1 diplomatic platform — an initiative launched to enhance regional cooperation and U.S. engagement with the five Central Asian republics.
As of now, the press service of the President of Tajikistan has not confirmed whether President Emomali Rahmon has received an official invitation to attend the summit.
The “Central Asia – U.S.” format (C5+1)
The “Central Asia – U.S.” format, also known as C5+1, serves as a platform for dialogue and joint efforts between the U.S. and the five Central Asian nations. It was established after the first meeting of foreign ministers in Samarkand in November 2015, and prior to the presidential summit in September 2023, it operated at the foreign ministers’ level.
The first summit of its kind with Central Asian presidents took place in New York on September 19, 2023.
Key areas of discussion in this initiative include security, economy, and environmental issues.
The most recent meeting of foreign ministers from the Central Asian states and the U.S. under the C5+1 framework took place in Astana on February 28, where the parties discussed expanding trade and economic relations both within the region and with the U.S.
As it had been reported earlier, House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on South and Central Asia Ranking Member, Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove, and Chair, Congressman Bill Huizenga, on October 20 sent a letter to President Trump calling on him to convene a C5+1 Summit in Washington to mark the 10th anniversary of the diplomatic forum that brings together the United States and five Central Asian countries.
