BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 7. On November 6, Washington hosted the latest C5+1 Summit - a platform for dialogue between the United States and the countries of Central Asia. A format that has existed for ten years has finally come to life. Whereas in the past the meetings were mostly formal, they are now gaining real political and economic substance.
At the meeting with regional leaders, U.S. President Donald Trump stated directly that Washington would no longer neglect Central Asia, as the previous administration had done. "The nations of Central Asia, known as the C5, stand at a historic and geographic crossroads of the world. Once home to the ancient Silk Road that connected East and West, they possess a remarkable and beautiful history. Today, their location at the heart of Eurasia gives them exceptional importance and immense potential," he said.
Essentially, the U.S. is returning to the region with a new agenda - not only political but also economic. As former U.S. Ambassador Matthew Bryza noted in an interview with Trend, the current administration views investment and the presence of American companies as a tool of foreign policy. "This is President Trump’s foreign policy philosophy, which in my experience, is unique. I think he intends to use the C5+1 format precisely as an instrument of strategic partnership - to strengthen U.S. positions and the resilience of the region’s countries themselves," the diplomat emphasized.
The main topic of the summit was resources. On the eve of the meeting, the Trump administration published a list of 60 strategic minerals essential for the economy and national security, including 15 rare earth elements crucial for the production of electronics, defense technologies, and green energy.
Central Asia is one of the promising regions for sourcing these materials. Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan possess rich mineral reserves but have yet to develop processing capacities. Without investment, the region risks remaining merely a supplier of raw materials rather than finished products. During the summit, Kazakhstan and the United States signed a memorandum of cooperation on critical minerals. On the same day, Tau-Ken Samruk and Cove Capital announced a joint development of major tungsten deposits in Kazakhstan’s Karaganda region, with total investments exceeding one billion dollars.
Furthermore, Donald Trump also announced a major deal with Uzbekistan: "Over the next three years, Uzbekistan will be purchasing and investing almost $35 billion, and over the following ten years more than $100 billion, in key American sectors, including critical minerals, aviation, automotive parts, infrastructure, agriculture, energy and chemicals, information technology, and others," he wrote in a post on Truth Social.
Thus, the U.S. focus in the region is clear: strategic resources, investment, and infrastructure. All this makes Central Asia a key direction of American economic diplomacy.
But resource extraction is only the beginning. The next step is transportation - transit. And this is where Azerbaijan comes to the forefront. A number of experts have long noted that it would be logical for the C5 format to include Baku. As Chairman of the Caspian Policy Center and former U.S. Ambassador Richard Hoagland said, "It might be more accurate to start speaking about the C6 format, since Azerbaijan is increasingly participating in all C5 meetings".
Indeed, Azerbaijan’s role in new transport routes can hardly be overstated. Speaking about the TRIPP project (The Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity), U.S. President Donald Trump emphasized Azerbaijan’s importance as a key link. "This is a road that's being carved and goes through some of the most important places anywhere in the world, some of the most important places economically also anywhere in the world, which will boost commercial activity on the other side of the Caspian Sea, helping nations throughout Central Asia," he said.
Regional leaders have already joined the project. Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev stated that he supports Washington’s peace initiatives, including TRIPP, which "may contribute to the further development of the Middle Corridor".
President Ilham Aliyev, in a recent statement to the press, stressed that the TRIPP project will definitely be implemented.
"As you know, one of the achievements of the Washington Summit in August is the TRIPP project (The Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity). President Trump has given his name to this project, which naturally indicates that it will definitely be implemented. This opens up yet another route for the Middle Corridor. In addition to the traditional route, a new one through Zangezur will be added, with a cargo turnover of 15 million tons meeting the most modern standards. Thus, the volume of cargo from Asia to Europe and back through our countries’ territories has the potential to grow on its own, but it will also have even greater potential for receiving and dispatching," the head of state said.
The Zangezur Corridor, or TRIPP, is more than just a transport project. It is a new infrastructural artery of the Middle Corridor connecting Central Asia with Europe across the Caspian Sea. Azerbaijan has invested tremendous effort in it. Over the past two years, cargo flows along this route have grown by almost 90%. The country possesses the largest fleet on the Caspian, nine international airports, and the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway - all of which make Azerbaijan an indispensable link for international transport.
Kazakhstan is already actively using this route. Last year, oil transit through Azerbaijan amounted to nearly 1.5 million tons. "Our plans are to significantly increase this volume," said Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. He also thanked President Ilham Aliyev for supporting the transportation of uranium through Azerbaijani territory.
Former U.S. Ambassador John Herbst told Trend: "The Middle Corridor has enormous economic potential, and Washington understands its importance. The U.S. will use its capabilities to help advance this project".
Today, the U.S. strategic goal in Central Asia is not only resources but also transport connectivity. And without Azerbaijan, this plan is impossible. Baku is becoming the region’s 'gateway' to the West - a reliable partner both for Central Asian countries and for the United States. Washington recognizes this: its support for peace initiatives between Baku and Yerevan, attention to the Zangezur Corridor, and focus on transit all confirm Azerbaijan’s growing role.
The region is becoming increasingly attractive to virtually all global power centers, and here, the role of Azerbaijan is critically important. Thanks to the strategy pursued by President Ilham Aliyev, our country has become a transport, energy, and political bridge between East and West. It is largely due to his efforts that a new logic of international relations is taking shape in the region, creating a new space of opportunity for everyone - for the United States as well as for Asia.