Central Asia’s B20 Message to Washington: Let’s Make Deals

By Eurasianet - Nov 12, 2026, 2:00 PM CST Kazakhstan fielded the largest foreign delegation at the three-day B20 in Washington, and both it and Uzbekistan brought ministers, not just business reps. Astana built its roundtable around turning the strategic partnership into concrete projects, while Uzbekistan’s Laziz Kudratov said the groundwork for deals is already laid. The next test is the G20 in Miami on Dec. 14 and 15, where both capitals hope to close deals on the sidelines after October’s C5+1 talks in Samarkand. Large Kazakh and Uzbek delegations attending the B20 business summit in Washington delivered a clear message to their American hosts: let’s make more deals.The US Chamber of Commerce-hosted three-day event, which concluded November 11, was framed as “a platform for the private sector to address shared economic challenges, identify opportunities for investment and innovation, and advance solutions that strengthen the global economy.”In a sign that Astana and Tashkent saw the meeting as more than just a networking opportunity, both delegations included government ministers and other top-level officials. The title of a business roundtable hosted by Kazakhstan, From Strategic Partnership to Concrete Projects, underscored Astana’s eagerness to move beyond optimistic rhetoric to getting signatures on specific agreements. Kazakhstan also had the largest delegation at the B20.Uzbek participants were spreading a similar message: Uzbek Trade Minister Laziz Kudratov, for example, touted rapidly expanding commercial contacts between the United States and Uzbekistan. The groundwork for deals has been established, Kudratov indicated during a B20-sponsored breakfast event.“We want to build on this momentum and develop new mutually beneficial partnerships,” he added.The B20, as well as the October C5+1 ministerial meeting in Samarkand attended by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and all five Central Asian foreign ministers, along with a business forum attended by a 200-plus delegation of US executives, have primed the pump for the finalization of business deals.Central Asian eyes will now be turning to the upcoming G20 meeting in Miami in December. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev will be attending the gathering, and expectations are high in Astana and Tashkent that deals will be done on the sidelines in Miami. By Eurasianet.org More Top Reads From Oilprice.comAngola Looks to Diversify from Crude with Windfall Oil RevenuesEU Imports of Russian LNG Top 2025 Value Ahead of January BanUK Vows Global Climate Leadership as PM Doubles Down on Net Zero Download The Free Oilprice App Today Back to homepage