The US and five Central Asian governments backed closer transport and industrial cooperation at a C5+1 meeting in Samarkand. Rubio also held bilateral talks, while Uzbekistan signed the Artemis Accords.
The US secretary of state will meet the foreign ministers of five Central Asian countries on Monday under the C5+1 format. Trade, investment, critical minerals and security are expected to feature in discussions, while more than 200 American business executives accompany the visit.