Nargiza Umarova and Khayotjon Ibragimov gave a joint interview to CBC Azerbaijan, in which they discussed in detail the dynamically developing partnership between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan. The experts emphasized that relations between the two countries have confidently reached the level of strategic partnership, as evidenced by the intensification of cooperation in a wide range of areas, from transport and logistics to energy and cultural and humanitarian ties.

 

Commenting on the practical effects of the launch of the Zangezur corridor, Umarova stressed that calculations already made show that the route will reduce the transport distance by more than 300 kilometers, which means a reduction in delivery times and, accordingly, a reduction in financial costs for businesses. Reducing delivery times and transportation costs are key priorities of Uzbekistan’s transport strategy, and in this context, cooperation with Azerbaijan is seen as an important element in realizing the country’s geo-economic interests and strengthening its role in Eurasian connectivity.

 

In the energy section of the interview, Khayotjon Ibragimov focused on the strategic dimension of cooperation between Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan in the field of green energy. He recalled that in 2024, the three countries signed a strategic agreement on the integration of energy systems and the promotion of renewable energy sources, under which a trilateral memorandum was signed on the joint generation of green energy from renewable energy sources in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, with subsequent transportation through Azerbaijan and export to the European Union. According to Ibragimov, preliminary economic calculations demonstrate the high potential of this “green corridor”, and the growing interest of third countries only confirms the relevance of this direction.

 

At the end of the interview, IAIS experts drew attention to the fact that economic and energy cooperation is complemented by growing investment and humanitarian ties. Uzbekistan has already invested over $21 million in Azerbaijan’s economy, while Azerbaijani investments in Uzbekistan have exceeded $183 million. About 120 commercial organizations with Uzbek capital participation are successfully operating in Azerbaijan in industry, agriculture, construction, transport, and services. According to experts, all this forms a solid foundation for further rapprochement between the two countries and for transforming the Azerbaijani-Uzbek partnership into one of the key pillars of regional cooperation architecture.

 

* 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.