After negotiations, Ilham Aliyev and Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a series of bilateral documents, foremost among them being the “Agreement on Allied Relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Uzbekistan.”
It’s now evident that relations between Baku and Tashkent are “on the rise.” The frequency and depth of high-level bilateral visits are just one of the indicators. During Ilham Aliyev’s current state visit, numerous documents were signed, ranging from agreements on cultural cooperation, education, protection of labor rights, and judicial expertise, to cooperation programs between the foreign ministries and the potential establishment of an ASAN service in Uzbekistan.
SOCAR and Uzbekneftegaz also agreed on cooperation. Recently, a delegation of Uzbek military officials visited Azerbaijan to study the experience of using unmanned aerial vehicles. Against this vibrant backdrop, the President of Uzbekistan had every reason to declare, “Today, I, together with the esteemed Ilham Heydarovich, signed a treaty on allied relations. This document marks the beginning of a new chapter in strengthening interstate cooperation. We have confirmed our strong commitment to the course of comprehensive development of multi-faceted partnership.”
Indeed, the partnership is multi-dimensional, encompassing culture, education, the military sphere, security issues, political coordination, investments, logistics, and much more. Hotel complexes involving Azerbaijan’s participation are being constructed in Tashkent, while Uzbek investors are investing in textile production in Hankendi. Azerbaijan remembers, and our President recently reminded us, that Uzbekistan was the first foreign state to gift Azerbaijan an educational institution on lands liberated from Armenian occupation.
Moreover, there is no doubt that the consequences and results of Ilham Aliyev’s state visit will truly unfold in the near future, as the signed agreements come into effect.
Perhaps the genre’s conventions require citing figures on trade turnover, mutual investments, etc. However, it is equally important to consider what lies beyond the headlines of the visit. Essentially, it concerns a shift in geopolitical vectors across a vast area once referred to as the “underbelly of the Soviet Union.” The Soviet Union is no longer on the map today, but its “geopolitical interpretation” in Central Asia persisted until recently, and even NATO’s presence in Afghanistan and its use of bases in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan did not significantly change the situation. Economy, investments, labor migration, logistics, and assistance in addressing security issues were all, in one way or another, linked to Moscow. It seemed that there was no alternative.
But now, much is changing. No, there is no “geopolitical rivalry” being played out in Central Asia, but the countries of the region are facing challenges and problems that need to be addressed.
Azerbaijan is one of the few post-Soviet states that has achieved real independence, pursued a truly multi-vector policy, and established partnerships with both Europe and China, all while maintaining relations with Russia. Today, Azerbaijan is offering Central Asian countries, particularly Uzbekistan, cooperation in various areas, including investments, logistics, political coordination, and much more. It is not surprising that this is being warmly received.
However, the rapprochement between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan has not only a “bilateral” dimension. It is part of the strengthening of cooperation among Turkic states. What was once purely cultural and humanitarian is now transforming into economic and political partnership, not only within the framework of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) but also on a bilateral basis. Essentially, to the east of the Caspian, historical ties and boundaries are being restored across a vast area that is no longer a sleepy political province but a region “on the rise,” with enormous potential, great opportunities, and prospects. Today, it is not just about developing the economy here; they are writing their new history, in which it will undoubtedly be noted that at a critical juncture, Uzbekistan’s reliable friend and partner was Azerbaijan.
