On September 19, President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Zhaparov participated in the inaugural C5+1 presidential summit in New York City, USA.

The Summit was attended by President of the United States of America Joseph R. Biden, Jr. and the leaders of Central Asian countries: Kasym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan, Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan, Serdar Berdymukhamedov of Turkmenistan, and Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan.

The summit was opened by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., followed by statements from all the heads of Central Asian states.

In his speech, President Sadyr Zhaparov noted that the agenda and the scope of discussions between the parties are expanding. Cooperation with the United States, including within the C5+1 format, is one of the important directions of the country's foreign policy.

"I believe that this format should aim at strengthening mutual understanding and trust, ensuring security and stability, and creating favorable conditions for expanding trade and economic cooperation. The world economy has not fully recovered from the negative impact of the coronavirus pandemic when it faced new shocks and instability. In my view, in such crisis conditions, issues related to ensuring, first of all, food and energy security, macroeconomic stability, and social stability in the region, require the priority attention and coordinated efforts of the Central Asian countries," emphasized Sadyr Zhaparov.

The President noted that countries in the region possess significant natural resources, large reserves of energy resources and minerals, as well as a qualified workforce.

"We advocate for a wider presence of foreign partners, including American businesses, in our country and the region. We are ready for broad international cooperation in key areas such as 'green' economy, hydroenergy, IT technologies, employment, and education. We are successfully implementing various projects, including infrastructure, industry, agriculture, irrigation, and transportation and logistics systems. We continue to modernize the country's key transportation arteries. A major regional project in the field of railway communication is planned. All these directions are of paramount importance to us as a landlocked country," highlighted Sadyr Zhaparov.

The Head of State outlined Kyrgyzstan's intention to further expand bilateral trade and economic relations with the United States, the potential of which is not yet fully realized, and to work jointly with partners on regional issues.

He added that for the economic stability of any country, the development of the energy sector and uninterrupted energy supply are key conditions.

"Our country possesses almost half of the region's water resources. Kyrgyzstan's hydroenergy potential is about 142.5 billion kWh per year, but currently, it is utilized at no more than 13%. Kyrgyzstan also has great potential in various types of renewable energy sources. We call on investors, international partners, and financial institutions to collaborate on projects for the construction of hydropower plants and other renewable energy facilities. This year, we also initiated the restructuring of the national external debt, including using it as a mechanism for funding 'green' economy projects. We hope that the American side will provide assistance in working with partners and international financial institutions," stated Sadyr Zhaparov.

The Head of State also emphasized that it is impossible to discuss issues of regional security in Central Asia without taking into account the situation in Afghanistan. In this regard, he expressed Kyrgyzstan's interest in peace and stability in Afghanistan and maintaining good neighborly relations with the country.

In conclusion, President Sadyr Zhaparov expressed hope that today's meeting would provide an important impetus for further enhancing mutually beneficial cooperation between the Central Asian states and the USA.