Uzbekistan–Turkmenistan–Azerbaijan Summit — Another Step Toward New Joint Opportunities

On August 22, the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, will participate in the first trilateral summit in the format of “Uzbekistan–Turkmenistan–Azerbaijan” in Ashgabat.

It should be noted that Uzbekistan’s bilateral and multilateral relations with both Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan have reached a high level. The global changes taking place today require elevating relations among the three countries to a new stage across all areas. In particular, there is great potential to intensify cooperation in transport and communications, energy, maritime connections, and other fields.
The trilateral summit in Ashgabat is expected to create the necessary conditions for the productive use of this potential.

Within the framework of the Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries, held on August 5–8 this year in Turkmenistan’s National Tourist Zone “Avaza,” a trilateral meeting took place between the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, National Leader of the Turkmen people and Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, and Prime Minister of Azerbaijan, Ali Asadov. The meeting addressed issues of expanding mutually beneficial regional cooperation and promoting joint projects. First and foremost, opportunities for cooperation in energy, transport and logistics, industry, and agriculture were highlighted. At that time, the parties agreed to continue dialogue in this format to work out prospective projects of practical interaction.

Uzbek–Turkmen relations have risen to a qualitatively new level in recent years thanks to the political will of the leaders of the two states. In particular, the Treaty on Strategic Partnership signed on March 6, 2017, and the Declaration on Deepening Strategic Partnership signed on October 21, 2022, serve as a solid contractual and legal foundation for bilateral cooperation.

During mutual official visits of heads of state and meetings in multilateral formats, special attention is paid to the further development of relations between the two countries. These meetings have undoubtedly played an important role in fostering and expanding long-term stable partnerships, peace, and good-neighbourliness in the Central Asian region.

Turkmenistan is also one of Uzbekistan’s key trading partners. At the end of the first half of 2025, the volume of mutual trade between the two countries reached USD 464 million. Around 240 joint enterprises are operating successfully in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.

The two countries are also actively participating in the implementation of major energy projects in the region. The transport sector is likewise a priority area of relations. The integrated road and rail networks of the two countries serve as transit routes for third states.

It is worth noting that history, tourism, culture, and traditions that link the Uzbek and Turkmen peoples have become a common heritage. This closeness serves as a solid foundation for developing relations in the cultural, humanitarian, and tourism spheres.

Another important aspect is that all conditions have been created in Uzbekistan for preserving and developing the Turkmen language, culture, and traditions. In Turkmenistan, the legacy of the great Uzbek poet and statesman Alisher Navoi is highly valued, while the ghazals of the Turkmen poet and thinker Magtymguly Pyragy are read with love and affection in Uzbekistan.

Azerbaijan is also a close friend and reliable strategic partner of Uzbekistan, having stood the test of time. The signing of such documents as the Declaration on Deepening Strategic Partnership and Expanding Comprehensive Cooperation in 2022, and the Treaty on Allied Relations in 2024, opened a completely new page in the history of bilateral relations.

Regular visits and high-level meetings set a rapid pace in all areas of cooperation and serve as a driving force for the development of bilateral relations.

Expanding trade, economic, and investment ties, enhancing competitiveness in the global market, deepening production cooperation with foreign partners, creating, developing, and effectively utilising new transport corridors in the region are among the most important areas of bilateral cooperation.

Close dialogue is being conducted at the level of transport administrations, while trade, economic relations, and industrial cooperation are being strengthened.

Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan are regarded as countries with significant economic potential in Central Asia and the South Caucasus, respectively. This makes them economically promising partners striving to deepen economic and investment cooperation. More than 250 enterprises with Azerbaijani capital are operating in Uzbekistan in trade, mechanical engineering and metalworking, finance and insurance, real estate, energy, services, jewellery production, food, light industry, and other fields, contributing significantly to the country’s economic development.

The opening of the UzAuto car assembly plant in Azerbaijan became a vivid example of industrial cooperation. This project expanded Uzbekistan’s export opportunities and created new jobs in Azerbaijan. In addition, cooperation is successfully developing in the agro-industrial complex, textile industry, and logistics. Both countries are interested in effectively utilizing the transit potential of Trans-Caspian route projects, as well as integrating their transport strategies.

The volume of mutual trade between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan exceeded USD 250 million by the end of 2024. At the same time, the parties seek to increase it several times over in the coming years. This is facilitated by the free trade regime established between the two countries and the activities of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Cooperation, the latest meeting of which took place in Baku in June of this year.

In addition, to finance the most promising projects in the territories of the two countries, an Uzbek–Azerbaijani joint investment company with an authorised capital of USD 500 million was established in 2023.

The establishment of these structures indicates the mutual interest of official Tashkent and Baku in economic integration and in the full realisation of the existing potential of trade, economic, and investment cooperation. Numerous events — exhibitions, business forums, and business missions — also confirm this.

Furthermore, starting from 2030, Uzbekistan plans to export surplus domestically produced “green” electricity to Europe through Azerbaijan. In November 2024, the presidents of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan launched the project to create a “green energy corridor “from Central Asia – Azerbaijan – Europe.” In December last year, the three countries signed the founding agreement for the project. It is important to highlight the environmental significance of the project. The energy to be transmitted will be from wind and solar sources, which are renewable and clean, helping mitigate climate impacts.

The historical commonality of religion, language, culture, and traditions plays an important role in the development of cultural, humanitarian, and tourism exchanges between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan. Moreover, cultural and literary days, film and creative weeks, tours, and art exhibitions are regularly held in the territories of both countries.

Representatives of the Azerbaijani nation living in Uzbekistan today also contribute to strengthening Uzbekistan’s friendship with Azerbaijan. To preserve their culture and traditions, the Association of Azerbaijani Cultural Centres has been established in Uzbekistan.

In short, the participation of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in the trilateral summit in the “Uzbekistan–Turkmenistan–Azerbaijan” format will, above all, serve to further unite the Central Asian and South Caucasus regions, develop multifaceted and mutually beneficial cooperation among the three countries, improve the well-being of the peoples of the two regions, and achieve new joint successes.

Dunyo News Agency