U.S. to Host Central Asia Business Conference to Mark C5+1 Tenth Anniversary As Emergency Caribbean Aid Announced

By Fedelis Fengu

The U.S. Department of State, in partnership with the Kennedy Center, is set to host the C5+1 Tenth Anniversary Business Conference on Thursday, November 6, a landmark event celebrating a decade of enhanced cooperation between the United States and the five Central Asian nations: Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

The conference, which will begin at 2:00 p.m. at the Kennedy Center’s the REACH, is billed as a historic convening. It will bring together senior government officials and key business leaders from across the C5+1 countries to both commemorate ten years of the diplomatic platform and work toward further strengthening economic and cultural ties.

Distinguished speakers scheduled to deliver remarks include Turkmenistan Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov, Senator Steve Daines, Special Presidential Envoy Richard Grenell, U.S. Special Envoy for South and Central Asia Ambassador Sergio Gor, and Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Paul Kapur. The agenda also features a plenary panel discussion with business executives, which will be led by Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau.

In separate but vital news, the United States is providing an initial $24 million in emergency, life-saving assistance to the Caribbean nations severely impacted by Hurricane Melissa. This funding is immediately being deployed to assist the affected populations in Jamaica, Haiti, the Bahamas, and Cuba.

The comprehensive aid package is designated to provide critical resources, including shelter, water, sanitation, hygiene, food assistance, and emergency healthcare. The Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) stationed in Jamaica is actively on the ground, continuing to assess the situation and determine future humanitarian needs.

Secretary Rubio has specifically authorized the funding allocations following the Category 5 hurricane’s destructive path across the region. The breakdown includes $12 million for assistance in Jamaica, $8.5 million for assistance in Haiti, $3 million for the people of Cuba, and $500,000 for assistance in the Bahamas.