The C5+1 summit and the American bet on Central Asia The interest of the United States in the underground of Central Asia is dictated by the strict requirements of modern industry, security and the high-tech sector. Critical materials, including rare earth elements, uranium, antimony, tungsten, copper and rhenium, play a key role in electronics manufacturing, batteries and aerospace applications. Washington's strategy covers the entire production chain from geological exploration to the release of finished products. Individually, the markets of the five Central Asian republics appear relatively small, but their combined potential exceeds eighty million consumers and a rich resource base. The effectiveness of such a partnership will depend on the ability of regional economies to establish internal cooperation in production, where raw materials are mined in one country, processed in another and exported through shared transportation corridors. Tashkent demonstrated the greatest practical impact of the Samarkand agreements, concluding a package of agreements and memoranda with the American side totaling twelve billion dollars. The large-scale project portfolio covers the mining industry, transport infrastructure, energy, digital technologies and agriculture. Key areas include aircraft engine contracts with GE Aerospace, rail network upgrades with Wabtec and rare metals technology partnerships with ReElement Technologies, Traxis and Shapeshifting. The declared volumes of billions of dollars so far represent the cost of agreed initiatives, the implementation of which will require rigorous commercial procedures. The main task of the Uzbek economy is the transfer of technology, the creation of jobs and the development of the production of products with high added value.