The U.S. government has signed an agreement with Uzbekistan to secure better access ​to the Central Asian country’s critical minerals, as U.S. President Donald Trump ‌moves to counter China’s dominance of crucial resources and ​their supply chains. The “Joint Investment Framework” between the ⁠U.S. It will prioritise investments across the critical mineral value chain including exploration, extraction ‌and processing, and proposes a new U.S.–Uzbekistan Joint Investment ‌Holding Company ⁠for future minerals and infrastructure projects, the DFC’s plan ⁠said. The country of almost 40 million has significant reserves of gold, uranium and copper, as well as significant untapped reserves of dozens of critical minerals such as lithium ‌and tungsten that sit at the heart of modern technology. Uzbekistan’s version will “promote cooperation to advance shared economic interests, and encourage ‌joint investment in strategic sectors including critical minerals, infrastructure, and energy,” the DFC said in a statement on the ​agreement.

Source: The Hindu February 19, 2026 08:06 UTC