Mississippi Republican Gov. Phil Bryant is on a trade mission to the central Asian country of Uzbekistan.

Bryant spokesman Bobby Morgan says the governor and others left Sunday and will return Saturday.

The delegation includes Mississippi National Guard Adjutant Gen. Durr Boyles, Mississippi Development Authority director Glenn McCullough and others from state government and the private sector.

Morgan tells The Associated Press on Thursday that the Mississippi National Guard and the Uzbekistan military have been jointly training for six years in a state partnership program.

Morgan says past trade missions by the governor have helped bring jobs to Mississippi.

In February, Mississippi State University established an agreement for research collaboration with Tashkent State Agrarian University in Uzbekistan.