The key facts

  • Marco Rubio announced the deployment of American small modular reactors in Uzbekistan without specifying projects or companies
  • Uzatom had previously confirmed interest in Holtec, GE Hitachi, and NuScale technologies but denied an obligation to purchase
  • AKFA Group is investing $80 million in Bowling Green, Kentucky; Boeing sold Uzbekistan Airways 22 787 aircraft

Rubio's statement on small modular reactors

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, at a meeting of the US-Uzbekistan Business and Investment Council attended by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, stated that the US is deploying American small modular reactors and modernizing Uzbekistan's electrical grids and gas distribution system, helping to cope with growing energy demand. He did not specify which projects were meant, which companies might participate, or at what stage the negotiations are.

Context: Uzatom's position and disagreements

In November 2025, the director of the Atomic Energy Agency (Uzatom), Azim Akhmedkhadjaev, told Gazeta that Uzbekistan is ready to study American small reactor technologies, in particular certified designs from Holtec, GE Hitachi, and NuScale, while continuing to diversify partnerships. On November 7, the US State Department published details of agreements following the talks between Mirziyoyev and Donald Trump, listing among them Uzbekistan's obligation to purchase small modular reactors from American companies. Uzatom's press service stated that the country has no such obligation.

Minerals and technologies

Rubio named the extraction and processing of critical minerals in cooperation with partners, including the Colorado School of Mines, as another area, noting Washington's interest in diversifying raw material supplies and developing Uzbekistan's processing capacity. In science, he cited the example of a partnership between the University of Texas at Dallas and the Samarkand Quantum Center. According to him, the US supports digital entrepreneurs at the Tashkent IT Park, providing developers with access to American chips and AI models. Rubio joked that he should call this 'superintelligence,' since Trump signed an executive order using that terminology.

Aviation and investment

Rubio noted that Boeing and GE Aerospace supply engines and components for Uzbek aircraft and train specialists; last year Boeing sold Uzbekistan Airways 22 wide-body 787 Dreamliners. He also said that Uzbek production in the US will appear for the first time: AKFA Group is investing $80 million in Bowling Green, Kentucky, to develop the aluminum industry. He sees potential for cooperation in energy, robotics, fintech, mining, and agriculture.

Visit to Samarkand and C5+1

On October 19, Rubio visited Samarkand, held talks with Mirziyoyev, and participated in meetings of the foreign ministers of Central Asian countries in the C5+1 format. He announced the possibility of agreements worth billions of dollars, naming critical minerals, the Trans-Caspian transport route, and training specialists for the technology sector as priorities. The president and the head of his administration, Saida Mirziyoyeva, promised American investors clear and predictable conditions. Rubio also said that the US administration supports repealing the Jackson-Vanik amendment, but the final decision depends on Congress.