President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev arrived at the Congress Center in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, to participate in the 7th Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia held in the “Central Asia + Azerbaijan” format. He was welcomed by the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
President Aliyev took part in the meeting and delivered a keynote address, expressing sincere gratitude to President Shavkat Mirziyoyev for the invitation and for the traditional hospitality. He praised Uzbekistan’s development path under its president’s leadership, highlighting the country’s growing international standing, economic reforms, and achievements in industry, transportation, agriculture, and sports, including its impressive results at the recent Olympic Games. Aliyev emphasized that President Mirziyoyev enjoys profound respect in Azerbaijan for his contributions to strengthening bilateral relations and for his genuinely warm attitude toward the Azerbaijani people.
Referring to his visit to the Center for Islamic Civilization, Aliyev noted that the institution, initiated by President Mirziyoyev, represents an important message to the world at a time when manifestations of Islamophobia are increasing in some countries. According to him, the Center clearly demonstrates that Islam is a religion of creativity, tolerance, friendship, and brotherhood, while showcasing the vast intellectual legacy contributed by renowned scholars and thinkers of the Muslim world.
The President underscored that Azerbaijan is participating in the Consultative Meeting for the third time, having previously attended the summits in 2023 and 2024. He emphasized the unique nature of relations between Azerbaijan and Central Asian states, grounded in a shared historical, cultural, and spiritual heritage, as well as centuries-long friendship, solidarity, and brotherhood. These ties have not only been preserved, but elevated to the level of strategic partnership, supported by frequent high-level visits—14 visits by President Aliyev to Central Asian states and 23 reciprocal visits to Azerbaijan over the past three years.
Azerbaijan has signed agreements and declarations on alliance, strategic partnership, and joint investment funds with Central Asian countries. Cultural exchanges, exhibitions, and events have intensified, further strengthening people-to-people connectivity and mutual affinity.
Aliyev stressed that although Azerbaijan is geographically located in the South Caucasus, intensive cooperation has led to the formation of a shared geopolitical and geo-economic space with Central Asia. He noted that the countries successfully coordinate positions within various international organizations and jointly address global and regional challenges.
He highly praised the fraternal support demonstrated by Central Asian states for the reconstruction of Azerbaijan’s liberated territories. In Fuzuli, the Mirzo Ulugbek School and the Kurmangazy Children’s Creativity Center are already operating, while in Aghdam, the Manas School has begun functioning—gifts from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. In October, the foundation of a new mosque in Fuzuli was laid with the support of Turkmenistan, which Aliyev described as an enduring symbol of brotherhood and solidarity.
The President highlighted the strategic importance of the Middle Corridor, describing Azerbaijan and Central Asia as a crucial connectivity bridge between East and West, North and South. He pointed to the significant growth of transit operations: cargo transported via the Middle Corridor through Azerbaijan has increased by 90 percent over the past three years, while travel time has been significantly reduced.
Aliyev provided an overview of major infrastructure assets, including the Alat International Sea Port, which will reach a 25-million-ton annual capacity in the coming years, the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway, nine international airports, and the region’s largest cargo aviation fleet — all of which have transformed Azerbaijan into a key global transport hub.
He affirmed that the agreements reached in Washington in August on connecting mainland Azerbaijan with the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic will further enhance transit potential. Construction of the Zangezur Corridor within Azerbaijan is nearing completion, with its new railway line capable of handling up to 15 million tons annually in the initial stage. The associated highway construction is also nearing completion.
Aliyev additionally pointed to major opportunities for cooperation in digital communications, including the Digital Silk Road fiber-optic project beneath the Caspian Sea, and the under-sea electricity transmission cable project, which would open new prospects for exporting regional energy to global markets.
Concluding his speech, President Aliyev expressed gratitude to his counterparts for accepting Azerbaijan as a full participant of the Central Asian cooperation format, stating that the decision once again confirms the friendly and brotherly nature of relations and will strengthen cooperation across a vast geographic area. He also congratulated Turkmenistan on assuming chairmanship of the format.
