Ahead of the 7th Consultative Meeting of Central Asian Leaders in Tashkent, President Ilham Aliyev said Azerbaijan views Central Asia as a shared historic, cultural and geopolitical space, and emphasized that cooperation with the region is growing rapidly across all key sectors.
In an interview with Uzbekistan’s National News Agency, he noted that this will be his third appearance as a guest of honor at the summit, thanking President Shavkat Mirziyoyev for the invitation and describing the format as an important platform for strengthening regional unity.
Aliyev stressed that the Caspian Sea acts not as a dividing line but as a strategic bridge connecting Azerbaijan with Central Asia. Shared cultural roots, common values and close historical ties form, по его словам, естественную основу для политического и экономического сближения.
He added that active political dialogue and a record number of high-level visits in recent years prove how rapidly relations have expanded. Over the past three years, Central Asian presidents have traveled to Azerbaijan nearly 30 times, while Aliyev himself visited the region 13 times.
Discussing the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Uzbekistan, Aliyev called the country a “brotherly nation and reliable ally,” noting that bilateral ties are now at an all-time high.
He pointed to five visits by President Mirziyoyev to Azerbaijan in the last 18 months, as well as two state visits – one by Aliyev to Tashkent in 2023 and one by Mirziyoyev to Baku in 2025 – which produced major agreements, including the Treaty on Allied Relations and a long-term strategic roadmap.
The establishment of the High-Level Intergovernmental Council added momentum to this partnership.
Aliyev reaffirmed that Azerbaijan deeply values Uzbekistan’s early humanitarian support for the reconstruction of Karabakh, including the Mirzo Ulugbek school in Fuzuli, calling it a gesture of true solidarity. He said he looks forward to his upcoming visit to Uzbekistan and praised the country’s rapid modernization under President Mirziyoyev.
Commenting on economic cooperation, Aliyev described trade and investment trends as highly positive. Bilateral trade reached 252 million dollars in 2024 and grew by nearly 90 percent in the first nine months of 2025.
Around 120 Uzbek companies now operate in Azerbaijan, while a joint 500 million-dollar investment company is financing projects both within the two countries and in third markets. A joint textile factory in Khankendi, he said, demonstrates how economic ties can support post-conflict development.
Transport and logistics remain central pillars of cooperation. Aliyev noted that transit volumes through the Middle Corridor continue to rise, exceeding 1.3 million tons in 2024 and approaching 1 million tons in the first nine months of 2025. Azerbaijan’s modern transport infrastructure – from the Port of Alat and the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway to nine international airports – positions the country as a key gateway for Central Asia. The opening of the Zangezur Corridor, он подчеркнул, будет выгодна всему региону.
Energy cooperation is also expanding. SOCAR continues to supply oil products to Uzbekistan, while the three countries – Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan – signed new agreements in 2024 to integrate electricity systems and advance renewable energy projects.
Cultural and humanitarian ties add another dimension to the partnership. Aliyev noted that cultural days, exhibitions and city-to-city partnerships deepen people-to-people connections, citing events in Baku, Tashkent, Khiva and Shusha.
He highlighted symbolic landmarks such as Heydar Aliyev Square in Tashkent and the newly launched Park Uzbekistan in Baku. Cooperation in sports is also growing: the two countries will co-host the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2027. Media and civil-society engagement is expanding as well, with recent media forums and the first NGO forum held in 2024–2025.
Aliyev concluded that Azerbaijan is fully satisfied with the pace of partnership with Uzbekistan and the wider Central Asian region. He expressed confidence that the Tashkent summit will further strengthen political dialogue, economic integration and cultural ties.
“Our friendship, rooted in centuries of shared history, will continue to grow stronger,” he said.
