Senior United States official Jake Sullivan, in a press briefing in Washington on Friday, announced that President Joe Biden will be holding a historic presidential summit with the leaders of five Central Asian nations next week. This summit, to be held in the C5+1 format on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, marks the first-ever meeting at the leaders level for this regional initiative.
Jake Sullivan, the National Security Advisor of the US, stated that the upcoming summit will provide an opportunity for the leaders to engage in discussions on a wide range of issues. These topics will include regional security, trade and connectivity, climate change, as well as ongoing governance reforms aimed at improving the rule of law. The remarks were published by the White House.
When asked about specific goals for the C5+1 summit, Sullivan emphasized that it aims to foster a positive agenda for collaboration between the US and the Central Asian nations. Sullivan expressed the expectation of a joint statement at the conclusion of the summit, outlining concrete areas of cooperation. Sullivan added the US will bring to the table some resources to support these cooperation areas.
Established in 2015, the C5+1 format serves as a multilateral mechanism of interaction between the five Central Asian countries and the US. The dialogue focuses on economic development, regional cooperation and security issues.
