United States and Uzbekistan sign pact to secure critical mineral supplies

The United States US government and the Government of Uzbekistan UZ officially signed a Joint Investment Framework on February 18, 2026, to secure enhanced access to critical minerals and prioritize investment across the entire value chain, including exploration, extraction, and processing. This completed agreement represents a significant step in bilateral strategic cooperation on critical minerals supply chains. The initiative is part of a wider strategy led by the administration of President Donald Trump and the U.S. International Development Finance Corp (DFC) to address the global market and counter the dominance of China CN over these essential resources.

Under the terms of the framework, the two nations have proposed the establishment of a U.S.–Uzbekistan Joint Investment Holding Company. While currently a proposal, the holding company is intended to serve as a primary mechanism for coordinating large-scale investments in the minerals sector. This development follows recent diplomatic outreach by the Trump administration to the Central Asian region, including nations such as Kazakhstan KZ, Kyrgyzstan KG, Tajikistan TJ, and Turkmenistan TM. The signing comes on the heels of a minerals summit held earlier this month, which resulted in initial memorandums of understanding with 11 countries, including the administration of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Uzbekistan.