The below is attributable to Acting Spokesperson Pooja Jhunjhunwala:‎

Yesterday, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Acting Deputy Administrator John Barsa met with the Uzbek Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Honorable Abdulaziz Kamilov, and other senior officials of the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan (GOU). They discussed opportunities for future collaboration between the American people and the people of Uzbekistan through the recently established USAID Mission in Tashkent.

Acting Deputy Administrator Barsa congratulated the GOU for making enormous progress in creating the conditions for greater economic activity and jobs. He reaffirmed the interest of the United States in collaborating with the GOU, Uzbek civil society, and private firms, through USAID, in various areas: education; agricultural reform; countering trafficking in persons; improving Uzbekistan’s competitiveness; regional energy connectivity; religious freedom; and the continued fight against, and recovery from, the pandemic of COVID-19. As Uzbekistan moves into its next stage of reforms, the United States is increasing its investments in the country in these social and economic sectors.

The Acting Deputy Administrator reiterated the importance of open, and secure digital and other infrastructure that underpins the energy sector, supply-chains, and economic growth broadly. In this vein, he and the Uzbek delegation discussed the principles of the Blue Dot Network.

Foreign Minister Kamilov is in Washington, D.C. to attend the U.S.-Uzbekistan Annual Bilateral Consultations led by the U.S. Department of State.