Ambassador Jonathan Henick and First Deputy Minister of Geology Omonullo Nasritdinxodjaev signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) today to enhance cooperation between the United States and Uzbekistan in the area of critical minerals. The signing took place just before Uzbekistan’s participation in MINExpo INTERNATIONAL, the world’s largest mining industry event, set for September 24-26, 2024, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
This agreement follows the announcement made during the September 2023 Presidential Summit in New York, where President Biden, President Mirziyoyev, and the presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan agreed to launch a Critical Minerals Dialogue. The MOU aims to promote economic cooperation, drive investment in clean energy initiatives, and safeguard Central Asia’s ecosystems.
Critical minerals and rare earth elements are vital to clean energy technologies and are becoming increasingly important in global economies. The United States is actively encouraging private sector investment in Uzbekistan’s mining sector. The MOU underscores both nations’ commitment to maintaining high environmental, labor, and governance standards in the global mining sector.
Ambassador Henick stated, “The United States and Uzbekistan must cooperate to establish resilient and secure supply chains that can support the future energy landscape. This memorandum reflects our shared goal to diversify global mineral supply chains and expand our Strategic Partnership with Uzbekistan.”
