The president of Uzbekistan is currently in Azerbaijan for a state visit that signals a deepening strategic alliance between the two countries, as Tashkent and Baku move to elevate annual trade to $1bn and expand cooperation across energy, transport, investment and culture.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev met with his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev at the Zagulba residence for the second meeting of the Supreme Interstate Council. 

The talks resulted in a sweeping roadmap of bilateral agreements and a renewed commitment to regional connectivity and economic integration.

“Our relations have never been as high as they are today,” Mirziyoyev noted. 

The high-level talks coincided with the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries and were marked by a string of new bilateral agreements and symbolic gestures of cultural solidarity – including the laying of a foundation stone for a new “Uzbekistan” park in Baku and the inauguration of Uzbekistan’s new embassy.

"You have fulfilled the age-old dream of your father and every Azerbaijani – you have restored the territorial integrity of the country," Mirziyoyev told his Azerbaijani counterpart. “You are actively working to modernise the economy and infrastructure of the reclaimed territories.”

The summit produced a roadmap for implementing the Treaty on Allied Relations through 2029, and a programme to lift bilateral trade to $1bn by 2030. 

A growing network of around 300 joint ventures, backed by a $4bn project portfolio, is bringing the partnership to life on the ground – with trade between the two countries rising by 25% over the past year.

Mirziyoyev and Aliyev also pledged to expand practical cooperation across multiple sectors, including industry, education, agriculture, transport and renewable energy. 

The two governments backed new formats such as a Council of Entrepreneurs and a Forum of Industrial and Economic Zones to accelerate commercial ties.

Transport and logistics were also high on the agenda, with both leaders placing particular focus on the Middle Corridor – a growing trade route that connects Central Asia to Europe through the Caspian Sea, offering a faster and increasingly vital link between East and West.

The volume of Uzbek cargo transported through the corridor has risen by 25%, exceeding 1mn tonnes. 

In March, the countries introduced electronic permits to streamline cargo movement.

The Middle Corridor is actively expanding as a key trade route linking their countries and connecting to other strategic pathways.

Both sides also agreed to step up collaboration on exporting green electricity to Europe, as part of their broader energy transition agendas.

On the cultural front, the new Uzbekistan Park in Baku – to be built in the capital’s upmarket White City district – will span 4.5 hectares and feature replicas of Uzbek architectural landmarks, along with green spaces, shopping venues and a hotel. 

The design is said to incorporate traditional Uzbek decorative motifs.

The leaders also opened Uzbekistan’s new embassy in Baku, where Mirziyoyev proposed naming one of its ceremonial halls after Karabakh as a gesture of friendship. 

“Azerbaijan is a reliable ally and strategic partner of Uzbekistan. Our peoples have been connected by history, values, language and culture, which have long formed the basis of our brotherhood and mutual trust,” presidential press service notes.

To commemorate three decades of diplomatic relations, the two countries will host a series of youth events, concerts and joint celebrations this autumn.

A raft of new intergovernmental agreements was signed during the visit, including:

• A roadmap for Allied Relations (2025-2029)
• Agreements on environmental protection, science and higher education
• Industrial and agricultural cooperation programmes
• Maritime and shipbuilding protocols
• Regional twinning agreements between Tashkent and Sumgait, and Navoi and Gabala

Mirziyoyev said that Uzbekistan remains committed to resolving international conflicts through diplomacy and called for continued coordination in global institutions. 

The head of state expressed confidence that the outcomes of the visit would “further strengthen allied relations and serve the sustainable development and prosperity of our fraternal countries and peoples.”