August, 22 – Turkmenbashi Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Ilham Aliyev arrived in the city of Turkmenbashi in Turkmenistan in order to take part in the Trilateral Summit. It is important to recall that just one month ago (July 2), Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and then (on July 17) Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, Chairman of the People’s Council of Turkmenistan, visited the Republic of Azerbaijan on an official trip.

This sequence of events demonstrates and once again confirms that Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan are consistently working together in order to strengthen their relations, to consolidate their mutual ties, and to build and develop the strategic project of the Middle Corridor.

High-level meeting between Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan held in Turkmenbashi.

On August 22, in Turkmenbashi, a solemn documents signing ceremony was held.

Aliyev noted

““Today, we are opening a new chapter in the history of cooperation between three friendly and brotherly states, based on the cultural and historical closeness of our peoples, shared values, and strategic interests”

Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan; Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty of Turkmenistan; and Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, also delivered a joint press statement.This joint statement was regarding the outcomes and the results of the high-level meeting between Turkmenistan, the Republic of Azerbaijan, and the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Furthermore, Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan; Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty of Turkmenistan; and Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, together viewed the famous Akhal-Teke horses. They also attended and enjoyed a performance of the national equestrian group of Turkmenistan known as “Galkynysh,” which took place in the city of Turkmenbashi.

At the conclusion of this cultural event, Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, on behalf of the President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov and on behalf of the people of Turkmenistan, presented the visiting head of state with a valuable gift — an Akhal-Teke horse named “Taus.”

The leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to peace, stability & prosperity, advancing cooperation in:

Politics & diplomacy

Trade & economy

Transport & logistics

Energy

Climate & environment

Culture & people-to-people ties

Key achievements:

MoU on transport & logistics cooperation
Joint Working Group on connectivity
Expansion of industrial partnerships & joint ventures
Boosting trade, aviation, tourism & cultural exchanges

A new chapter of regional friendship and sustainable development noted Sapar Palvanov, the Turkmen Ambassador in Brussels.

The three Turkic countries and their shared roots

The three Turkic countries — Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Azerbaijan — share the same roots and are bound byhistorical ties. Today, however, it is no longer only a matter of brotherhood or cultural closeness; it has become a clear and strong example of genuine partnership and exemplary cooperation.

In addition, these three countries are all located on the historical route of the Great Silk Road. The Uzbeks, the Turkmens, and the Azerbaijanis have always shared common roots, and at present, these roots continue to manifest themselves through even stronger ties, through reinforced cooperation, and through the joint development of the Middle Corridor.

It is also important to underline that both Mirziyoyev and Berdimuhamedov have recently carried out a joint visit to the Karabakh region. This visit was also a symbolic action, clearly showing the support of Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov for the respect of the territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan strong relations

Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan are steadily getting closer and closer. Since the moment when both states gained their independence and sovereignty in 1991, Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan have been building relations that are based on mutual respect, on strategic partnership, and on the principles of brotherly solidarity.

A particularly important and landmark moment in the entire history of bilateral cooperation between the two states was the establishment of official diplomatic relations, which took place on October 2, 1995. This date is regarded as the beginning of a new chapter in relations.

In the current year, the two countries are celebrating the 30th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations, which is itself a very significant milestone.

The opening of the embassies of both countries — the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Tashkent and the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Baku — during the period of 1997–1998, marked the beginning of active political interaction, of economic cooperation, and of humanitarian and cultural engagement between the two nations.

Cultural and humanitarian cooperation occupies a special place in bilateral relations, and it is of special symbolic value. A very vivid and meaningful example of this friendship was the opening in 2023 of the “Azerbaijan–Uzbekistan Friendship Museum” in Tashkent, which was inaugurated to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Azerbaijan’s national leader, Heydar Aliyev, as reported by Caspian Post.

Another very significant event was the construction of the Mirzo Ulugbek School in Fuzuli, in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, which was completed in August of the same year. This school was designed to accommodate 960 students. This project was carried out at the initiative of the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and it stands as a genuine demonstration of solidarity and support from Tashkent for the restoration of Azerbaijan’s liberated territories, according to reports by CaspianPost.com.

Iroda Imamova, a Leading Researcher at the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, wrote the following statement:

“The modern relations between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan represent an example of a dynamically developing strategic partnership based on a solid historical foundation, on spiritual closeness, and on the mutual political will of both sides to deepen comprehensive cooperation.”

With the signing of the Treaty on Allied Relations last year, in 2024, Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan rapidly reached the highest possible level of interstate cooperation, according to UzDaily. This Treaty on Allied Relations was signed on August 23, 2024, in Tashkent, during the state visit of the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev.

This agreement marked and confirmed the opening of a new chapter in bilateral relations, and its aim is to further strengthen the independence of both countries, their sovereignty, their territorial integrity, and to promote sustainable economic growth.

Economic Cooperation between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan

Trade relations and economic interaction between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan have been developing dynamically and steadily. Trade between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan has increased by 25% over the past year. Today, there are approximately 300 joint ventures functioning successfully, and these ventures together have a combined project portfolio valued at 4 billion US dollars.

During the most recent visit of Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Azerbaijan, on July 2, 2025, the leaders of the two countries reached an agreement on a new strategic goal. They agreed to raise and boost annual bilateral trade and investment to the level of 1 billion US dollars by the year 2030. This information was reported by Jalolova, S., in her article for The Times of Central Asia (July 4, 2025).

In the framework of this visit, the parties signed a very wide-ranging package of cooperation agreements. These agreements covered numerous sectors such as the economy, education, environmental protection, and also regional cooperation.

In total, a dozen strategic documents were signed in the presence of the presidents. These included:

A Roadmap for implementing the Treaty on Allied Relations (2025–2029);
Intergovernmental accords on environmental protection, science, and higher education;
A 2025–2026 Industrial Cooperation Program;
An action plan for cooperation in agriculture and food security (2025–2027); … as reported by Daryo (July 3, 2025).

At present, 280 enterprises with Azerbaijani capital are operating successfully in Uzbekistan. Analysis of bilateral trade shows ongoing changes and shifts in the structures of exports and imports. These shifts reflect evolving and changing economic priorities on both sides, according to CaspianPost.com.

The leaders and governments of the two countries have also agreed to expand and increase cooperation in a variety of fields, such as industry, infrastructure, agriculture, healthcare, tourism, and banking.

Among these areas, cooperation in the automotive industry has emerged as one of the core and central directions of bilateral economic partnership. It is important to highlight the significant cooperation between the Uzbek company “Uzavtosanoat” and the Azerbaijani company “Azermash” in the production of Chevrolet vehicles. As a reminder, back in 2019, within the framework of a bilateral business forum, a Memorandum of Understanding on car assembly between Uzavtosanoat and AzerMash OJSC was signed and put into practice.

In addition to this, the Azerbaijan–Uzbekistan Investment Company is currently financing 15 projects worth over 360 million US dollars.

Cooperation in Energy and Sustainability between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan

The Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR), and the Uzbek joint-stock company Uzbekneftegaz have signed a Production Sharing Agreement (PSA). This agreement provides for geological exploration activities and the subsequent production of hydrocarbons in investment blocks of the Ustyurt oil and gas region. This was reported by AZERTAC on July 24, 2025, citing an official press release from Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Energy as the source of this information.

At the same time, the parties — Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan — have also begun the practical implementation of their Strategic Partnership Agreement in the field of green energy. This agreement concerns cooperation in the construction of solar power plants and provides for the creation of an international energy corridor.

On this subject, Euronews published the following observation:

“A new energy bridge: Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan unite for a Green Corridor to Europe.”

As a reminder, Uzbekistan’s National Electric Grids, Kazakhstan’s KEGOC, and Azerbaijan’s AzerEnergy signed the founding documents officially creating Green Corridor Union LLC, according to reports by Euronews.

In the future, this project is expected to connect Central Asia directly with Europe through the territory of Azerbaijan. As part of this project, Uzbekistan has set out its plans to export up to 5 GW of green energy to European countries through Azerbaijan by the year 2030.

Cultural and Tourism Cooperation between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan

Cultural exchanges have continued to remain an essential and indispensable component of interstate dialogue and cooperation between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan. These cultural exchanges are not only symbolic but also practical, strengthening the friendship and mutual understanding between the peoples of the two countries.

In the year 2024, Uzbek Culture Days were successfully organized and held in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. At the same time, Azerbaijani Culture Days were held in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. These events demonstrated the mutual interest and mutual respect of the two nations in promoting cultural cooperation.

This year, on July 2, 2025, in the district of Ag Sheher in Baku, Presidents Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Ilham Aliyev jointly laid the foundation stone for Uzbekistan Park. This park, covering an area of 4.5 hectares, will celebrate Uzbek culture and architecture.

During the same occasion, the leaders also inaugurated Uzbekistan’s new embassy in Baku, which was designed to include special halls named after different regions of Uzbekistan. President Mirziyoyev even proposed naming one of these halls after Karabakh, as a gesture of friendship and solidarity with Azerbaijan. This initiative was reported by the official website President.uz.

Tourism is another sector that is steadily flourishing between the two countries. Both sides are creating favorable conditions for the development of a flourishing tourism industry. In this context, it is worth mentioning that Azerbaijani citizens may soon be able to enter Uzbekistan using only their domestic ID cards, without the need for international passports.

At the same time, the two countries have improved their visa-free travel regime. According to Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, citizens of Uzbekistan can now stay in Azerbaijan without registration for up to 15 days, while citizens of Azerbaijan in Uzbekistan benefit from the same arrangement. More broadly, Uzbeks can stay in Azerbaijan for up to 90 days, and Azerbaijanis in Uzbekistan for up to 30 days, according to The Times of Central Asia.

Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan have also reached an agreement to take steps towards the development of a joint tourism route. According to the press service of the Uzbek Tourism Committee, a memorandum of understanding was signed between Uzbekistan’s National PR Center and the Azerbaijan Tourism Bureau. This was reported by Caspian Post.

As a direct consequence of these favorable conditions, the number of Azerbaijani guests visiting Uzbekistan increased significantly: from 10,000 in 2022 to 18,000 in 2024, according to statistics cited by Report and the Statistics Agency of Uzbekistan. When compared to the corresponding period of 2023, this represented an increase of 19.8%, or approximately 1,600 people.

Sharof Rakhmanov, Deputy Khokim (Governor) of Tashkent, also stated that around 10,000 Azerbaijani tourists visit Tashkent annually, while a similar number of Uzbek tourists travel to Azerbaijan. This was reported by Caucasus Watch (June 13, 2025).

Cooperation in Education

In particular, agreements were reached on the opening of a representative office of Samarkand State Medical University at Nakhchivan University. It is anticipated that joint master’s programs will be launched in the field of oil and gas refining between the Tashkent Institute of Chemical Technology and Baku Higher Oil School, as well as in finance and business analysis between Tashkent State University of Economics and Azerbaijan State University of Economics, Imamova noted.

Middle Corridor

Uzbekistan has been working to enhance its role in the Middle Corridor, also known as the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR). In January 2025, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev outlined a five-year plan to upgrade infrastructure and streamline trade.

Aliyev noted today during the Trilateral summit on this issue:

“Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan occupy a key geostrategic position connecting East and West, North and South. Our countries face new tasks and opportunities in the field of transport and transit cooperation. Among these are the Middle Corridor, port expansion, and railway issues, which we discussed extensively today with my dear brother Berdimuhamedow. We also addressed these topics during my recent meeting with Mirziyoyev. Thus, the joint efforts of our three countries in transport, transit, and logistics will be of great importance not only for our nations but for the entire region.”

President Mirziyoyev, for his part, proposed developing major infrastructure to boost transit potential, supplying green energy to Europe, increasing trade, and launching a program for tourism and cultural exchanges.

Azerbaijan, a pivotal country in the development of the Middle Corridor, is also strengthening its ties with both Europe and Central Asia—including Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. This underscores its emergence as a cornerstone in the evolution of the Middle Corridor. Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan have become pillars in the development of this strategic route.

At the same time, Uzbekistan’s initiatives to develop transport connectivity, including the construction of the Uzbekistan–Kyrgyzstan–China railway, are capable of linking Azerbaijan with China and the South Asian region.

As a reminder, Turkmenistan is also an essential player in the expansion of East–West trade. Ashgabat is developing infrastructure projects that officials hope will become commercial hubs within the Middle Corridor.

Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan Relations

On July 16, 2025, GurbangulyBerdimuhamedov, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan, visitedAzerbaijan following an invitation from President IlhamAliyev. This visit marked a crucial milestone in strengthening Turkmen-Azerbaijani relations.

In recent years, ties between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan have grown significantly stronger. A powerful symbol of this rapprochement was the joint development agreement on the “Dostlug” oil and gas field (formerly the disputed Kyapaz/Serdar block) in the Caspian Sea. On January 23, 2021, during a videoconference between Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the two countries signed an intergovernmental Memorandum of Understanding on the joint exploration, development, and exploitation of hydrocarbon resources in the Dostlug field, according to Caspian Post.

In March 2021, a natural gas swap agreement was signed between Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Iran. Azerbaijan subsequently purchased Turkmen gas via Iran. However, due to disagreements over pricing, the flow of gas ceased in early 2024. A resolution to this issue is expected following Berdimuhamedov’s visit, according to Valiyev (2025, July 31).

Economic relations between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan continue to grow steadily. In 2024, bilateral trade turnover reached USD 383.7 million, and in the first months of 2025, it had already exceeded USD 118 million. Turkmenistan remains a key supplier of energy products, chemicals, and textiles, while Azerbaijan exports engineering goods, construction materials, and foodstuffs to Turkmenistan, according to an article by Heybatov (July 18, 2025).

During his most recent visit to Baku, Berdimuhamedov stated that the purpose of the trip was to deepen and expand bilateral relations and accelerate the implementation of new joint projects.

Turkmen-Azerbaijani relations have recently intensified during the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC3)—a conference focused on addressing the unique challenges faced by landlocked developing nations. The Azerbaijani delegation played an active role, led by Prime Minister Ali Asadov.

Uzbekistan – Turkmenistan Relations

Relations between Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan have gained new momentum in recent years, thanks to the consistent policies of the leaders of both states—President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

This year, the relations between the two brotherly countries reached a very high level. On January 26–27, 2025, a Turkmen delegation headed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, Rashid Meredov, paid a visit to the Republic of Uzbekistan. During the visit, political consultations were held at the level of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Regular high-level visits and the signing of bilateral agreements in trade, energy, transport, and culture demonstrate both sides’ commitment to strengthening a long-term strategic partnership, according to nCa News.

As of February 2025, a free trade regime has come into effect between Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, marking a significant step in strengthening economic relations between the two countries, according to Heybatov, T. (2025). In 2024, trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan amounted to $1.14 billion, an increase of 5.5% compared to the previous year. This indicates a steady expansion of economic ties and deeper cooperation in various sectors, including energy, manufacturing, and agriculture.

Furthermore, on April 23–24 of this year, at the invitation of the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, visited the city of Samarkand.

At the end of the bilateral negotiations, a solemn ceremony was held to present the highest state award of the Republic of Uzbekistan – the Order of the Highest Degree of Friendship – to the national leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the People’s Council of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.

It should also be noted that Mirziyoyev attended the LLDC3 in Awaza at the beginning of August, making it his second visit to Turkmenistan within one month.

It is also important to highlight that President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, has been awarded the Order of Turkmenistan “For Contribution to the Development of Cooperation.” The award ceremony took place during the Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC3).

Conclusion

The growing cooperation between Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Azerbaijan reflects not only strategic and economic interests but also deep-rooted historical, cultural, and spiritual ties. Indeed, the friendship between Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Azerbaijan is not merely the result of diplomatic efforts. It is a deep spiritual connection based on shared values, historical kinship, and a common aspiration for joint development.

Joint initiatives in education, transport, energy, and trade demonstrate a shared commitment to regional development and connectivity. The Middle Corridor serves as a key platform for these countries to strengthen their economic integration with Europe, Central Asia, and beyond. As high-level visits, agreements, and collaborative projects continue, the trilateral partnership among these nations is poised to expand further, fostering stability, prosperity, and sustainable growth in the region. In a nutshell, these three brotherly countries, hand in hand, will drive the Middle Corridor together and connect Europe and Asia together. These three united countries will form the bridge between two continents and will enable the development of the South Caucasus and Central Asia.

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