Azerbaijan and Central Asian leaders hold 8th Consultative Meeting in Turkmenbashi; Azerbaijan takes the chair

On 8 October the 8th Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Azerbaijan and Central Asia was held at the Avaza complex in Turkmenbashi, Turkmenistan. It brought together President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov of Turkmenistan, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan, President Sadyr Japarov of Kyrgyzstan and President Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan.

The leaders signed the meeting's Joint Statement and a Decision on the format's regulatory documents. Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev congratulated Azerbaijan on taking over the chairmanship of the Consultative Meeting, saying the format's work would gain new momentum under it.

In his speech President Ilham Aliyev recalled that Azerbaijan became a full member of the format last November, an initiative put forward by Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov in Avaza the previous August. Azerbaijan's trade with Central Asian countries grew by more than 50 per cent last year, and more than 400 companies with Central Asian capital now operate in the country. Azerbaijan has set up joint investment funds with Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.

Transport and energy are the main areas of cooperation: transit freight along the Middle Corridor rose by more than 10 per cent last year and by about 20 per cent in the first eight months of this year. Work is under way on a fibre-optic line across the Caspian seabed (the Digital Silk Road), and a green energy corridor is being built together with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

The other leaders put forward proposals of their own. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed raising intra-regional trade from about $13 billion to at least $20 billion, drafting a declaration on the responsible use of artificial intelligence and setting up a joint regional TV channel. Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev called for joint production under a "6 economies — 1 product" formula and a Central Asia–Azerbaijan business forum next year. Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov highlighted tourism on the "one trip — several countries" principle and the protection of glaciers, and pledged support for Azerbaijan's 2027 chairmanship.

The President also thanked the brotherly countries for what they have built in the liberated territories: Uzbekistan's Mirzo Ulugbek school and a mosque initiated by Turkmenistan in Fuzuli, Kazakhstan's Kurmangazy Children's Creativity Centre, and Kyrgyzstan's Manas school in Aghdam. After the meeting Ilham Aliyev held talks with Serdar Berdimuhamedov.