Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan have adopted a joint statement and signed agreements on transport, logistics, shipbuilding, civil aviation and commodity exchange cooperation during a trilateral summit in Turkmenistan’s Awaza National Tourism Zone. 

Uzbekistan’s president Shavkat Mirziyoyev recently paid a working visit to Turkmenistan to take part in the summit, aimed at elevating trade, transport and energy cooperation across the Caspian and Central Asian region.

Mirziyoyev travelled to the port city of Turkmenbashi at the invitation of Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, the national leader of the Turkmen people and chairman of the People’s Council. He was welcomed at the airport by Deputy Prime Minister Nokerguli Ataguliyev and senior officials before joining bilateral and three-way meetings.

In Awaza’s National Tourism Zone, Mirziyoyev held talks with Berdimuhamedow, where the Turkmen leader conveyed “the greetings and best wishes of President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedow.”

Discussions focused on “urgent issues of further expanding and strengthening Uzbek-Turkmen relations of friendship, good neighbourliness and strategic partnership.” 

Both leaders noted “with great satisfaction that mutually beneficial cooperation is rapidly developing in all areas.”

Trade between Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan has reached $700mn so far this year, underpinned by a free trade regime introduced in February. 

Work is under way to open the Shovot–Toshovuz trade zone, while cooperation projects in industry, energy, transport, agriculture and water management are being expanded.

The two sides also reviewed preparations for the upcoming Consultative Meeting of Central Asian heads of state, with Mirziyoyev emphasising that the Awaza negotiations are of “great importance.”

At the trilateral summit, Mirziyoyev joined Berdimuhamedow and Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev for discussions on economic and transit integration. 

Mirziyoyev stressed the three countries should “fully utilise the huge transit potential” of their geography. “The connection of existing and promising corridors will allow the formation of a stable and efficient transcontinental route connecting China with South Asia, the Middle East and Europe through the territories of our countries,” he noted.

Highlighting progress on the China–Uzbekistan railway and the Trans-Afghan Corridor, he also pledged Uzbekistan’s readiness “to reduce freight rates on a reciprocal basis in order to ensure the shortest and most profitable access for business to key markets.”

The leaders agreed to support the Middle Corridor, including the Zangezur route, expand port capacity in Turkmenbashi and Baku and develop ferry links across the Caspian. 

Additionally, Uzbekistan expressed interest in building its own ferry fleet.

Energy was also high on the agenda, with Mirziyoyev noting that cooperation should extend from Caspian hydrocarbon exploration to exports of “green” energy to Europe. 

“In recent years, Uzbekistan's trade with Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan has doubled,” he said, pointing out that “the share of industrial products in trade has reached 40%.”

The leaders also agreed to step up joint projects in tourism, cultural exchanges and environmental cooperation. 

The three sides proposed drafting a joint action plan covering trade and logistics, including new wholesale and distribution hubs, alignment of sanitary and quarantine rules, digital product labelling, joint e-commerce platforms and closer links between commodity exchanges

Implementation of all agreements will be coordinated through ministerial-level “roadmaps.”