The invitation of Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev to the 7th Consultative Meeting of Central Asian Heads of State, to be held in Tashkent, once again demonstrates Baku’s rising geopolitical significance in the region, said Adkhamjon Janobiddinov, a researcher-journalist and political commentator from Uzbekistan in a statement to APA.
The political analyst noted that President Ilham Aliyev’s invitation to the Consultative Meeting is a logical continuation of the ongoing cooperation between the two countries: “The invitation is particularly noteworthy against the backdrop of Azerbaijan strengthening its role as a strategic transportation and energy hub connecting Central Asia and Europe via the Middle Corridor. As President Aliyev has emphasized, the Caspian Sea is not a dividing line for the regional countries but a symbol of unity connecting Azerbaijan with Central Asia.”
The Uzbek political analyst believes that Azerbaijan's cooperation with Central Asian countries plays a decisive role in realizing the full potential of the Middle Corridor: “Azerbaijan’s strategic geographic location, ports, railways, the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars line, and modern logistics capabilities make this project one of the main pillars of regional economic integration. The expansion of the Middle Corridor not only creates a new trade route connecting Europe with Central Asia but also stimulates economic growth and diversification in the region.”
Emphasizing that cooperation between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan has always been close since the establishment of diplomatic relations, Janobiddinov noted that under the leadership of Presidents Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Ilham Aliyev, this partnership has entered a new phase in trade, culture, education, tourism, and humanitarian fields.
“Currently, Baku and Tashkent are developing their relations at the level of strategic partnership. The significant increase in trade turnover between the two countries in recent years confirms this dynamic. Experts believe that expanding infrastructure and logistics projects along the Middle Corridor—such as improving railway connections, creating specialized terminals at the Alat Port, and digitizing customs procedures—can significantly reduce transportation costs and time losses,” he added.
According to him, a more active use of the Azerbaijan–Uzbekistan Investment Fund could create new joint production opportunities in sectors such as textiles, agriculture, petrochemicals, and the automotive industry.
“The creation of a digital trade platform that facilitates market access for SMEs is also on the agenda. Expanding cooperation in tourism, aviation, and vocational education will further strengthen bilateral relations. All these steps provide broad opportunities for Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan to advance toward the strategic goal of raising trade turnover to 1 billion US dollars in the coming years. The new phase of cooperation with regional countries will further strengthen Baku’s leading role in the Middle Corridor,” the Uzbek political analyst concluded.
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