BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 23. In recent years, Azerbaijan has been steadily and actively deepening its cooperation with Central Asia. This is part of President Ilham Aliyev’s long-term strategy, as he views the region not just as a strategic partner but also as a key link in building a unified space of stability, energy collaboration, and transport integration stretching from the Caspian to Europe.
For Baku, Central Asia is more than just a market or a transit corridor - it is a region of shared history, cultural ties, and common challenges. This perspective has fueled a steady convergence between Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan in recent years. The personal involvement of President Ilham Aliyev has been a decisive factor, turning joint initiatives from mere statements of intent into concrete mechanisms for regional cooperation.
On August 22, a high-level trilateral meeting took place in Turkmenbashi bringing together Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The talks culminated in a package of agreements, strengthening the partnership across areas ranging from logistics to humanitarian initiatives. The ceremony was attended by President Ilham Aliyev, National Leader of the Turkmen People and Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, and President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
The leaders adopted a Joint Statement and signed several key agreements, including a memorandum on the development of international air transport, a protocol establishing sister-city ties between Fizuli (Azerbaijan) and Arkadag (Turkmenistan), and a trilateral memorandum on transport and logistics cooperation.
Azerbaijan’s ties with Turkmenistan have particularly accelerated in recent years. A symbolic milestone was the renaming of the disputed Kyapaz/Serdar field to “Dostlug” (“Friendship”), paving the way for joint development of Caspian oil and gas resources. In 2021, the countries signed a memorandum on exploration of the field, and in 2023, discussions included SOCAR’s participation in additional projects in Turkmenistan. Since the start of this year, Azerbaijan has imported 187 million cubic meters of Turkmen gas, valued at 28 million dollars.
Speaking in Turkmenbashi, President Ilham Aliyev highlighted the significant opportunities now available for cooperation in the energy sector.
"We have traditional energy cooperation with Turkmenistan. We have already made a step in this area with Uzbekistan. Our state oil company SOCAR has already started developing an oil field in Uzbekistan and a contract has been signed. We hope that they will give us good news in the next one or two years. We are all eagerly awaiting the news of the discovery of a large oil field in Uzbekistan," said President Ilham Aliyev.
Economic ties between Baku and Tashkent have long been strategic in nature. Bilateral trade continues to grow steadily, with a more diversified mix of sectors, including agribusiness, textiles, petrochemicals, and mechanical engineering.
The number of Azerbaijani-invested companies in Uzbekistan has increased from 178 in 2019 to 278 as of April 2025. Regular business forums and intergovernmental commissions play a key role in creating a favorable investment climate and strengthening connections between entrepreneurs.
In this regard, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev pointed out: "During the talks, we paid special attention to the development of transit corridors, including the effective use of the capabilities of the ports of Turkmenbashi and Baku, and the formation of modern logistics infrastructure. We also discussed in detail plans to connect the existing and prospective routes in our region in order to deepen the integration of national transport systems...We have agreed to work together on projects to develop logistical infrastructure and ferry transportation across the Caspian Sea. In addition, we explored opportunities for cooperation between the three countries in the energy sector. We are talking about promising projects for the development of hydrocarbon fields and the export of generated electricity".
During the visit, special emphasis was placed on transport cooperation, which is becoming increasingly strategic. The transit and logistics agreements that were signed clearly show that Central Asian countries aim to more closely integrate their routes with Azerbaijan. In today’s geopolitical environment, routes through Baku are proving to be the most reliable, convenient, and cost-effective in terms of both expenses and delivery times.
The upcoming operation of the Zangezur Corridor holds particularly strong potential. This route could significantly reduce delivery times from Central Asia to Europe, which is especially important for exporting energy resources, uranium, and other strategically important goods. For the countries in the region, it represents not just a new transport link, but a real opportunity to strengthen their positions in the European market.
Political cooperation is equally important. Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan are showing a clear readiness to pursue joint initiatives on the international stage. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov emphasized: "Today's meeting is of historic importance for multilateral relations. During the talks, we discussed various aspects of cooperation, strengthening multilateral interaction, in particular in the political, economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres. Today, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan are conducting an open dialogue, cooperating and supporting each other's initiatives within international organizations, including the UN. This dialogue is conducted on an equal basis not only in the trilateral format, but also within the entire region in order to enhance peace and stability".
Azerbaijan’s initiatives are steadily positioning the country as a key hub linking the South Caucasus and Central Asia. This applies not only to energy projects, but also to transport networks and humanitarian ties.
Summing up the meeting, President Ilham Aliyev said: "All instructions have been given. I repeat what was already mentioned here - transport, transit, logistics, power industry, oil, gas sectors and cultural relations. And I have no doubt that all these instructions will be implemented in a timely manner".
The results of the Turkmenbashi meeting clearly show that Azerbaijan’s path toward closer ties with Central Asia is becoming stable and long-term. Through his consistent policies, President Ilham Aliyev is steadily turning the country into a key energy and transit hub in Eurasia.
Thanks to his vision and determination, projects in energy, transport, and the green economy are taking on a regional scale, serving the interests not just of individual countries but of the entire area from the Caspian to Europe. Today, Baku is emerging as a reliable bridge connecting the South Caucasus and Central Asia, offering a model of cooperation built on trust, pragmatism, and mutual benefit.