Published
02/09/2026, 15:44The AmCham reception and the Second Annual B5+1 Forum held in Bishkek in early February showed which industries are currently the focus of economic cooperation between the US and Central Asian countries.
The key areas were IT, logistics, and practical investment projects.
The official AmCham reception, held on February 3, set the tone for the discussion. Deputy Minister of Economy of the Kyrgyz Republic Choro Seytov emphasized that the B5+1 format was originally conceived as a working platform for business.
“The B5+1 Forum is a practical platform where business plays a leading role in shaping economic cooperation between Central Asia and the United States and in launching real projects,” he said.
Altynai Asanova, Executive Director of AmCham Kyrgyzstan, noted that the forum was prepared in partnership with the state, business, and the non-profit sector, including as part of the IBECA program supported by the US State Department.
The US signaled that the format would be long-term. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Central Asian Affairs John Mark Pommercham recalled that B5+1 had already proven its effectiveness.
“We plan to hold several more forums in Central Asian countries in the coming years,” he said.
He also recalled that following the C5+1 summit in Washington in November, commercial deals worth about $25 billion were announced, calling this only the beginning of deeper economic cooperation.
The composition of the reception and forum participants confirmed the industry focus. Among the guests were many representatives of IT companies, the logistics business, and the financial sector, reflecting the real areas in which the US and Central Asia are already moving from dialogue to projects.
The B5+1 forum, held the following day, reinforced this signal to the market: cooperation between the US and the region is increasingly shifting towards the digital economy and cross-border logistics, where Kyrgyzstan has a chance to establish itself as a regional business hub.
