CIS summit in Avaza: Uzbekistan chairs in 2027, Azerbaijan for the first time in 2028 — what the Turkic leaders proposed

On 9 October the CIS Council of Heads of State met in the Avaza National Tourist Zone. The summit fell in the Commonwealth's 35th anniversary year and, chaired by Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, began in a restricted format before continuing in an expanded one. From the Turkic states, the leaders of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan took part; for the first time the President of Iran joined the expanded session.

Around 15 documents were signed, including a statement on the Commonwealth's 35th anniversary. 2028 was declared the CIS Year of Social Development and Quality of Life and 2029 the Year of Transport Connectivity. Uzbekistan takes over the chair in 2027, with the next summit due in Bukhara in October 2027. In 2028 Azerbaijan will chair the CIS for the first time: President Ilham Aliyev said the country is ready to take the chair and host that year's autumn summit.

Host Serdar Berdimuhamedov said that despite the difficulties the Commonwealth has preserved the foundation of its cooperation and that overall trade keeps growing. He backed drafting a CIS development strategy to 2035 and a joint portfolio of industrial projects for 2027–2030, and summed up Turkmenistan's year in the chair.

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced the motto of his chairmanship: "The CIS — a space of trust and common development". The priorities are the economy, new technologies, transport, security, education, science and human capital, with more than 100 events planned. Mirziyoyev called for joint production, removing trade barriers and cooperation on critical minerals, artificial intelligence and robotics; recalling Central Asia's place at the crossroads of the East–West and North–South corridors, he proposed simpler transit, a single transport information system, a joint centre against cybercrime and more exchanges for students, young professionals and scientists.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed drafting a CIS development strategy to 2035, holding the first-ever "CIS Plus" summit, setting up a permanent mechanism for sharing experience in artificial intelligence and organising a CIS technology forum in Astana in the first quarter of 2027. He stressed respect for the linguistic and cultural diversity of all peoples and called for bringing young people back to reading books.

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov called for broader cooperation in trade, investment, energy, agriculture, transport, logistics and the digital economy, and for joint work on tourism and the development of mountain regions. He proposed marking the centenary of the great Kyrgyz writer Chinghiz Aitmatov in 2028 with joint events under the CIS umbrella.