Akramjon Nematov: “The allied relations between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan are built on strategic pragmatism and shared long-term modernization goals”

On February 19, 2026, a roundtable discussion on “Uzbekistan – Azerbaijan: The Architecture of Allied Cooperation” was held at the Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Baku.

Experts from leading think tanks and research institutions in Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan participated in the discussion, including representatives of the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan (ISRS) and the International Institute for Central Asia (IICA).

Participants discussed the current state of relations between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan, the most promising areas of economic and investment cooperation, the development of transport and energy corridors, and the potential for cooperation in education, science, culture, and digital transformation. Particular attention was paid to the strategic significance of Azerbaijan’s accession to the Consultative Meetings of the Heads of State of Central Asia, and issues of developing a regional identity and interregional connectivity between Central Asia and the South Caucasus.

The roundtable demonstrated the high level of expert interaction between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan and confirmed that the allied partnership between the two countries is a strategic element of the regional architecture of Central Asia and the South Caucasus, offering long-term prospects for economic, cultural, and technological cooperation.

Speaking at the roundtable, Akramjon Nematov, First Deputy Director of the ISRS, emphasized that relations between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan have undergone a qualitative transformation in recent years. Since 2017, there has been a radical shift from a strategic partnership to a full-fledged alliance.

While previously interaction was primarily episodic and dependent on current circumstances, today it has reached a high level of institutionalization and strategic depth.

In his words, “this transformation was made possible by the openness and large-scale reforms of Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, as well as the strategic course of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. It was their strategic vision, personal leadership, and trusting dialogue that became the main driver of rapprochement”.

It was noted that since the establishment of diplomatic relations, a total of 22 mutual high-level visits have taken place, more than half of which have occurred in the past eight years. The heads of state also meet regularly at multilateral venues several times a year. Between 2017 and 2025, approximately 200 visits and meetings took place at various levels, including between prime ministers, ministers, and parliamentary delegations. 

“The signing of the Treaty on Alliance Relations in 2024 was a significant milestone, cementing our shared long-term interests, mutual support on key international issues, and commitment to coordinate policies in security, economics, and sustainable development”, the expert explained.

Akramjon Nematov also emphasized the importance of institutionalizing dialogue between the countries. He stated, “The Supreme Interstate Council was established in 2023, with its first meeting held in August 2024 and the second in July 2025. Consultations are held regularly between the foreign ministries, and since 2024, between the secretariats of the Security Councils, and the economic blocs of the governments actively interact. An expert council has been launched as a Track II platform”.

Furthermore, as the ISRS representative noted, bilateral dialogue is integrated into broader formats: trilateral meetings between Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Turkiye, and Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan, the Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan energy partnership, and coordination of cooperation within the OTS, the CIS, and the SCO. “Essentially, bilateral relations have become a pillar of the regional cooperation architecture”, the expert believes.

Particular attention is being paid to interparliamentary and business dialogue. According to Akramjon Nematov, “Over the past three years alone, more than 20 high-level interparliamentary contacts have taken place. In 2025, the First Interparliamentary Forum was held in Khiva, and the Khiva Declaration and Action Plan were adopted. The parliaments of our countries are becoming active actors in foreign policy, providing legislative support for the alliance. The institutionalization of business dialogue has become an important tool: The Joint Business Council has been functioning since 2020, and the intergovernmental commission has held five meetings since 2017”.

The expert highlighted the successes of economic cooperation. In particular, since 2017, trade turnover has grown 9.5-fold, from $32.4 million to over $300 million in 2025, with an average annual growth rate of 32-34%. Uzbekistan’s exports have increased eightfold, and Azerbaijan’s imports have grown 16-fold, while the number of product groups has at least doubled. A shift from a raw materials-based model to a diversified trade structure and a gradual increase in the share of high-value-added products is being observed.

It was noted that cooperation is gradually shifting from trade to investment and production cooperation: approximately 280 enterprises with Azerbaijani capital operate in Uzbekistan. In February 2023, an agreement was signed to establish a joint investment fund with an authorized capital of $500 million, which has enabled the implementation of major joint projects in mechanical engineering, energy, light industry, and the food industry.

The ISRS representative also drew attention to the development of interregional cooperation. He stated, “Three Forums of Regions have been held (in Tashkent, Guba, and Baku), and dozens of twinning agreements have been signed between cities and regions. In the last two years alone, the number of regional pairs has grown from four to eleven, covering 80% of Uzbekistan’s territory and key economic and cultural centers of Azerbaijan. We are moving from a vertical model of interstate dialogue to a network-based model of interregional partnership, engaging local authorities and businesses. Particularly significant is the 2.1-fold increase in transit traffic, the active development of air travel (14 scheduled flights per week), and the formation of close business and humanitarian ties”.

The expert particularly emphasized the importance of cultural and humanitarian cooperation. “Cross cultural days, film festivals, exhibitions, and media forums are regularly held. In the last four years alone, approximately 40 joint cultural and humanitarian events have been held. Particularly noteworthy was the first University Rectors’ Forum in 2025, which involved over 130 delegations, demonstrating the development of a common educational space”, stated Akramjon Nematov.

In his speech, the expert highlighted promising initiatives for further expanding bilateral economic cooperation, stimulating interaction between small and medium-sized businesses, coordinating efforts to ensure food security, strengthening cultural and humanitarian ties, and expanding people-to-people contacts.

The ISRS representative noted that the modern alliance is built on strategic pragmatism, historical and cultural affinity, and shared long-term modernization goals. “Our alliance is not directed against anyone. It is aimed at strengthening resilience, developing transport, energy, and humanitarian interconnectedness, and enhancing the agency of our states in the emerging multipolar world. Uzbek-Azerbaijani relations today are a system-forming element of the emerging architecture of the trans-Caspian space and a supporting axis connecting Central Asia and the South Caucasus”, concluded Akramjon Nematov.

UzA