The Three Pillars That Attract Foreign Great Powers to Central Asia: Minerals, Energy, and Connectivity

Astana, Tashkent, and Washington have begun transforming Central Asia’s resources into financiable and buildable projects. Kazakhstan has been expanding exploration of critical minerals and updating its resource projections. Eurasian Resources Group announced plans to begin producing gallium in Kazakhstan starting in 2026, targeting OECD countries. A newly completed analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey (under the Department of the Interior) has reassessed Uzbekistan’s tungsten resource reserves. Domestically, policy statements in Uzbekistan favor building value chains rather than merely exporting raw materials. The recent U.S.-Uzbek agreement references a dedicated investment plan focused on "critical and rare earth" supply chains.

Energy is the second pillar, encompassing nuclear fuel and technology as well as hydrocarbons. Washington appears to treat energy security and energy transition as an integrated agenda, with Astana and Tashkent playing leading roles in both areas. As the United States seeks to reduce its reliance on Russian uranium supplies within a set timeline, Kazakhstan’s role in supplying U.S. uranium is growing increasingly significant. Bilateral cooperation between the U.S. and Kazakhstan in civil nuclear energy has also expanded, with Kazakhstan developing small modular reactors and establishing responsible usage standards. Uzbekistan’s development path stands out uniquely—aiming to expand electricity supply while redirecting some new capacity toward renewable energy. Reports indicate that Uzbekistan’s solar and wind power generation will reach 9 billion kilowatt-hours by 2025, with foreign partners and capital playing a crucial role.

Transport connectivity is the third pillar. Kazakhstan is working to alleviate bottlenecks across the Caspian region, including upgrading and expanding the Kuryk port. However, operational risks continue to constrain throughput, especially in maritime transport. Uzbekistan’s interest in the "Middle Corridor" centers primarily on procedural issues such as trade facilitation, border management, logistics coordination, and documentation standards. The locomotive and service project jointly developed by Westinghouse Rail (Wabtec) and Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) exemplifies how U.S. industrial participation can sustainably enhance corridor operational efficiency over the long term. The U.S. aims to ensure reliability along east-west routes by standardizing daily operational procedures and adhering to fast-track documentation norms.

Source: Central Asia Times

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1862222749644812/

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