Mirziyoyev proposes accelerating a Central Asian critical minerals alliance
At the Avaza summit, Uzbekistan's president proposed accelerating a regional alliance on critical minerals and building a unified digital map of the region's reserves.
President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev proposed accelerating the creation of a regional alliance on critical minerals in Central Asia and beginning its practical work with a unified digital map of the region's critical mineral reserves.
The proposal was made on 8 October 2026 at the eighth Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia and Azerbaijan in Avaza, Turkmenistan. It was the first such meeting held with Azerbaijan's participation; the chairmanship passed to Azerbaijan.
Why critical minerals matter
Lithium, rare earth elements, copper and other critical minerals are raw materials essential for modern industry, energy, batteries, semiconductor chips and defence technologies. The president noted that the region's countries hold significant reserves of such raw materials and that it is important to act together in this area.
A unified digital map
According to Mirziyoyev, a unified digital map of mineral reserves would provide a more comprehensive picture of the region's potential and show international investors that the region's countries are ready to develop this sector together.
Other proposals
At the summit the president also advanced a comprehensive regional trade and economic cooperation programme running to 2035, a "six economies — one product" formula, shared AI computing infrastructure built around national data centres, and a joint concept for the region's low-carbon energy potential. He also proposed holding a business forum in Khiva in 2027.
The Regional Alliance on Critical Minerals is an initiative put forward by Uzbekistan, aimed at coordinating the joint exploration, extraction and processing of the region's resources.
