Ilham Aliyev: Azerbaijan-Uzbekistan alliance enters a new economic and regional phase
World
Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan have elevated bilateral relations to an alliance while expanding economic and regional cooperation. In an interview with Uzbekistan’s National Information Agency (UzA), Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev discussed trade, investment, energy, transport, humanitarian ties and the countries’ growing role in regional cooperation.
“Interstate relations built on this solid foundation have in recent years entered a stage of unprecedented development, risen to the highest level — the level of alliance — and acquired entirely new substance,” Aliyev said.
He said mutual trust between the two presidents plays a special role in strengthening bilateral ties.
“The sincere friendship, mutual respect and trust that exist between the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, my dear brother, respected Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and myself play a special role in strengthening Azerbaijani-Uzbek brotherhood,” the Azerbaijani president said.
Fifteen reciprocal high-level visits have taken place over the past five years. Aliyev visited Uzbekistan in August 2024, while Mirziyoyev made a state visit to Azerbaijan in July 2025.
“Numerous documents signed during bilateral visits, in particular the Declaration on Further Strengthening Strategic Partnership and the Treaty on Allied Relations, formally consolidated the natural alliance between our two independent, strong and sovereign states,” Aliyev said.
Trade and investment
Bilateral trade more than tripled in 2025 to $795 million. During January–May 2026, it increased by 33% year-on-year to $144 million.
“This is an excellent indicator,” Aliyev said.
The Azerbaijan-Uzbekistan Investment Company, with total capital of $500 million, has become an important platform for investment cooperation.
“The company makes a significant contribution to financing and implementing promising projects in various sectors of the economies of both Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan,” he said.
More than 130 commercial organizations with Uzbek investment are registered in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani projects in Uzbekistan include The Ritz-Carlton hotel and residential complex in Tashkent, developed by PASHA Holding, and Sea Breeze Uzbekistan in Tashkent Region.
“The economic opportunities of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan complement each other, and this opens broad horizons for creating new formats of cooperation,” Aliyev said.
Energy and transport
Energy cooperation includes Neftegaztexnologiya, a joint venture operating since 2016. In 2024, SOCAR and Uzbekneftegaz established Turan Energy AFEZCO.
In 2025, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan established the Green Energy Corridor Union.
Transit traffic between the two countries increased by 6.7% in 2025 to 1.4 million tonnes. During January–June 2026, it grew by another 12.2% to 675,000 tonnes.
“Our cooperation, particularly in transport and logistics, offers major prospects,” Aliyev said.
He highlighted the integration of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project with the Middle Corridor and TRIPP.
“The integration of the important China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project with the Middle Corridor and TRIPP will create new economic and transit opportunities for the entire region,” the president said.
Cultural and humanitarian ties
“Cultural and humanitarian cooperation between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan is one of the integral and important areas of relations based on common roots, linguistic and cultural affinity, as well as spiritual values formed over centuries,” Aliyev said.
Uzbekistan Culture Days were held in Azerbaijan in 2023 and 2025, while Azerbaijan Culture Days took place in Uzbekistan in 2024. Shusha Days were also held in Khiva.
During the 2025/2026 academic year, 67 Uzbek citizens studied in Azerbaijan and 176 Azerbaijani citizens studied in Uzbekistan.
“We are proud that one of the oldest and most prestigious higher education institutions of our brotherly country, the National Pedagogical University of Uzbekistan, bears the name of the great Azerbaijani poet and thinker Nizami Ganjavi,” Aliyev said.
In 2026, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan launched their first joint grant competition for NGOs.
Azerbaijan received 46,000 Uzbek visitors in 2024, 62,000 in 2025 and 44,000 during January–August 2026.
From “C5” to “C6”
At the seventh Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia, held in Tashkent in November 2025, a decision was made to grant Azerbaijan full participation in the format.
“As a result of Azerbaijan’s active involvement in this process, the cooperation format previously referred to as ‘C5’ effectively became ‘C6’, while regional dialogue and strategic partnership acquired new substance and scale,” Aliyev said.
“The dialogue and cooperation mechanisms created within this platform serve not only the development of interstate relations, but also peace, stability and sustainable progress across the entire Eurasian space,” he added.
On cooperation within the Organization of Turkic States, Aliyev said:
“Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan perceive the OTS not only as a platform for interstate cooperation, but also as an important organization carrying our common history, culture and spiritual values into the future.”
Speaking about his expected state visit to Uzbekistan, Aliyev said: “I am confident that the upcoming visit will also be important in terms of further expanding comprehensive cooperation between our countries, implementing new joint initiatives and strengthening our allied relations.”
The Azerbaijani president concluded by congratulating the people of Uzbekistan on the upcoming 35th anniversary of state independence and wishing them “peace, prosperity, well-being and new achievements.”
He said mutual trust between the two presidents plays a special role in strengthening bilateral ties.
“The sincere friendship, mutual respect and trust that exist between the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, my dear brother, respected Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and myself play a special role in strengthening Azerbaijani-Uzbek brotherhood,” the Azerbaijani president said.
Fifteen reciprocal high-level visits have taken place over the past five years. Aliyev visited Uzbekistan in August 2024, while Mirziyoyev made a state visit to Azerbaijan in July 2025.
“Numerous documents signed during bilateral visits, in particular the Declaration on Further Strengthening Strategic Partnership and the Treaty on Allied Relations, formally consolidated the natural alliance between our two independent, strong and sovereign states,” Aliyev said.
Trade and investment
Bilateral trade more than tripled in 2025 to $795 million. During January–May 2026, it increased by 33% year-on-year to $144 million.
“This is an excellent indicator,” Aliyev said.
The Azerbaijan-Uzbekistan Investment Company, with total capital of $500 million, has become an important platform for investment cooperation.
“The company makes a significant contribution to financing and implementing promising projects in various sectors of the economies of both Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan,” he said.
More than 130 commercial organizations with Uzbek investment are registered in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani projects in Uzbekistan include The Ritz-Carlton hotel and residential complex in Tashkent, developed by PASHA Holding, and Sea Breeze Uzbekistan in Tashkent Region.
“The economic opportunities of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan complement each other, and this opens broad horizons for creating new formats of cooperation,” Aliyev said.
Energy and transport
Energy cooperation includes Neftegaztexnologiya, a joint venture operating since 2016. In 2024, SOCAR and Uzbekneftegaz established Turan Energy AFEZCO.
In 2025, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan established the Green Energy Corridor Union.
Transit traffic between the two countries increased by 6.7% in 2025 to 1.4 million tonnes. During January–June 2026, it grew by another 12.2% to 675,000 tonnes.
“Our cooperation, particularly in transport and logistics, offers major prospects,” Aliyev said.
He highlighted the integration of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project with the Middle Corridor and TRIPP.
“The integration of the important China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project with the Middle Corridor and TRIPP will create new economic and transit opportunities for the entire region,” the president said.
Cultural and humanitarian ties
“Cultural and humanitarian cooperation between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan is one of the integral and important areas of relations based on common roots, linguistic and cultural affinity, as well as spiritual values formed over centuries,” Aliyev said.
Uzbekistan Culture Days were held in Azerbaijan in 2023 and 2025, while Azerbaijan Culture Days took place in Uzbekistan in 2024. Shusha Days were also held in Khiva.
During the 2025/2026 academic year, 67 Uzbek citizens studied in Azerbaijan and 176 Azerbaijani citizens studied in Uzbekistan.
“We are proud that one of the oldest and most prestigious higher education institutions of our brotherly country, the National Pedagogical University of Uzbekistan, bears the name of the great Azerbaijani poet and thinker Nizami Ganjavi,” Aliyev said.
In 2026, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan launched their first joint grant competition for NGOs.
Azerbaijan received 46,000 Uzbek visitors in 2024, 62,000 in 2025 and 44,000 during January–August 2026.
From “C5” to “C6”
At the seventh Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia, held in Tashkent in November 2025, a decision was made to grant Azerbaijan full participation in the format.
“As a result of Azerbaijan’s active involvement in this process, the cooperation format previously referred to as ‘C5’ effectively became ‘C6’, while regional dialogue and strategic partnership acquired new substance and scale,” Aliyev said.
“The dialogue and cooperation mechanisms created within this platform serve not only the development of interstate relations, but also peace, stability and sustainable progress across the entire Eurasian space,” he added.
On cooperation within the Organization of Turkic States, Aliyev said:
“Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan perceive the OTS not only as a platform for interstate cooperation, but also as an important organization carrying our common history, culture and spiritual values into the future.”
Speaking about his expected state visit to Uzbekistan, Aliyev said: “I am confident that the upcoming visit will also be important in terms of further expanding comprehensive cooperation between our countries, implementing new joint initiatives and strengthening our allied relations.”
The Azerbaijani president concluded by congratulating the people of Uzbekistan on the upcoming 35th anniversary of state independence and wishing them “peace, prosperity, well-being and new achievements.”
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