22:03, 17 апреля 2026, Bishkek - 24.kg news agency , Baktygul OSMONALIEVA
The United States is building trade relations with Central Asia as a single, unified region with a population of 80 million people. Altynai Asanova, Executive Director of the American Chamber of Commerce, said, speaking on Birinchi Radio.
She noted that the priority for cooperation is the region as a whole rather than individual countries.
According to her, scale is crucial for international business, and a unified Central Asian market provides the volumes required.
«When we join forces with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, the market reaches a higher level and becomes more attractive to partners,» the expert explained.
Asanova also outlined key U.S. priorities for developing cooperation: the IT sector, critical minerals, agribusiness, and tourism.
At the same time, she said that Kyrgyzstan is increasingly being perceived as a «hidden gem.»
Tourists from the United States and Europe are showing growing interest in handicrafts, organic products, fresh and dried fruits. However, local producers still lack sufficient production volumes to enter external markets.