In an interview with News.Az, Nargiza Umarova, Head of the Center for Strategic Connectivity, shared her assessment of the current state and prospects of cooperation between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan. According to the expert, a key feature of bilateral relations is their allied status, formalized by the Treaty on Allied Relations signed in 2024. This format reflects a high level of mutual trust and creates additional opportunities for expanding cooperation in areas such as energy, transport, industry, and investment.
The interview also notes that one of the main priorities of Uzbekistan’s foreign policy is the pursuit of geo-economic objectives, including the diversification of export markets and the development of new transport routes. In this context, Azerbaijan is viewed as an important partner capable of providing Uzbekistan with strategic access to new markets.
Particular attention is given to the expansion of trade and investment cooperation. In recent years, bilateral trade has demonstrated steady growth, while the establishment of a $500 million joint investment fund has become an important mechanism for supporting joint projects in energy, petrochemicals, agriculture, and industry.
The interview also highlights the importance of transport connectivity initiatives. Special emphasis is placed on the Middle Corridor and the multimodal route CASCA+, which connects Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and Türkiye and contributes to the diversification of regional trade routes.
Overall, according to Nargiza Umarova, cooperation between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan is developing on a pragmatic basis and is aimed at strengthening trade and economic ties, expanding transport connectivity, and promoting joint investment initiatives.
* The Institute for Advanced International Studies (IAIS) does not take institutional positions on any issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the IAIS.
