This article was originally published in Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). Read the original article.
By Zamira Eshanova and RFE/RL's Kazakh Service
The decision by Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to join US allies in the Arab world in providing cash and other help -- possibly including troops -- for the reconstruction of Gaza marks another moment in efforts to forge a new, close relationship with US President Donald Trump.
The move follows last November's 5+1 meeting in Washington, in which the Central Asian nations agreed trade, diplomatic, and mineral deals to strengthen ties.
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At the inaugural Board of Peace summit on February 19, Kazakhstan promised substantial funding to be administered through the World Bank’s Gaza Reconstruction and Development Fund.
It also said it would deploy troops to an International Stabilization Force (ISF), including security personnel and a field hospital staffed by military medical experts. By doing so, Kazakhstan joins a small group of countries such as Indonesia, Kosovo, and Albania, that have publicly promised peacekeepers.
For its part, Uzbekistan emphasized previously announced plans to redevelop a specific slice of territory in Gaza.
Former Kazakh diplomat Dulat Baqyshev told RFE/RL that both nations were investing in the relationship with Washington -- and aiming for a concrete return on their money.
“Both Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan need US support. It’s been 35 years since our independence. Had any US president visited our region? No," he said.
Since achieving independence in 1991, the countries of Central Asia have sought to balance out diplomatic and economic influence from China and Russia.
"Our independence, our sovereignty becomes stronger when it’s supported by the US," Baqyshev said.
For now, the pledges made in Washington remain just that -- promises that may, or may not, be delivered on later.
But Astana would bring prior experience from United Nations–mandated peacekeeping operations since 2014, including deployments under the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), giving it an established track record in multinational stabilization efforts.
Kazakhstan also pledged wheat supplies to stabilize food security in Gaza and 500 university scholarships for Palestinian students over the next five years, aiming to rebuild Gaza’s professional class.
Still, no specific financial contribution or details on the number of Kazakh soldiers have been published yet, leaving some uncertainty about the scale of commitments.
Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev presented plans for an “Uzbekistan Quarter” in Gaza, with housing, schools, kindergartens, health-care facilities, and community centers.
The plans sit alongside other Gaza reconstruction plans pushed by Washington, which present the war-ravaged region as a luxury holiday riviera. Uzbekistan says its plans draw on experience it has gained rebuilding earthquake‑affected areas in Turkey.
No specific financial amount or the financial sources for this project have been made public.
While the actual sums were not made clear, Trump signaled that he expected significant financial commitments from participating countries.
Both the Uzbek and Kazakh leaders echoed the US president's positive tone.
Mirziyoyev described Trump’s plan as “bold and historic,” while Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev emphasized that “working together on this initiative is a step toward a safer, more stable region.”
Toqaev also called for a peace prize to be created, named for Trump.
“For Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, this is about prestige and reputation, and also about closer relations with the United States," Uzbek political analyst Alisher Ilkhamov told RFE/RL.
“Trump expects them to be willing to pay for this opportunity, and they seem prepared to do so,” he added.
Ilkhamov suggested that Kazakhstan might also have an immediate, specific aim: U.S. pressure on Ukraine to stop attacks on the Russian port of Novorossiysk, a key conduit for Kazakh oil exports.
Strikes in recent months have had a major impact on an important source of Kazakh budget revenue.
“It is no coincidence that Toqaev has gone out of his way to flatter Trump for the second time,” he said.
Copyright (c)2025 RFE/RL, Inc. Used with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
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