Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan Sign Treaty on Eternal Friendship, Pledge to Expand Comprehensive Cooperation

Tashkent, The Gulf Observer: President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on Saturday highlighted the growing strategic partnership between the two countries, reaffirming their commitment to expanding political, economic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation.

The two leaders made the remarks during press statements in Tashkent following the third meeting of the Supreme Interstate Council between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan.

President Mirziyoyev described President Aliyev’s state visit as historic, noting that the two countries had signed a Treaty on Eternal Friendship, which he said reflected their shared commitment to deepening bilateral relations and building a common future.

Mirziyoyev said Uzbekistan regarded Azerbaijan as a reliable ally, strategic partner and brotherly state, with bilateral relations rooted in common historical and cultural ties, shared spiritual values and centuries-old friendship.

He said the two sides had reviewed the full range of bilateral cooperation, with particular attention to trade, industrial cooperation, energy, transport and transit, culture and other areas.

The Uzbek President said the two countries had set a target of increasing bilateral trade turnover to $1 billion, stressing that the figure could subsequently grow several times further. He added that a programme containing specific measures to achieve the target had been adopted.

The two countries also identified new opportunities for industrial cooperation in sectors where their economies complement each other. A substantial portfolio of joint projects has been developed in energy, geology, chemicals, construction, finance, agriculture and other fields.

Mirziyoyev highlighted the role of the bilateral investment fund in supporting joint business initiatives and called for greater use of the potential of Uzbekistan’s and Azerbaijan’s regions to expand trade and economic cooperation.

Transport and transit were also identified as key areas of partnership. The two sides agreed to jointly develop the potential of the Trans-Caspian Corridor, improve logistics infrastructure and intensify efforts to establish a joint fleet in the Caspian Sea.

On cultural and humanitarian cooperation, Mirziyoyev said the two countries would inaugurate a new building of the Nizami Ganjavi Pedagogical University in Tashkent and launch construction of the Azerbaijan Park in New Tashkent.

He also announced plans to hold Azerbaijani Culture Days in Uzbekistan, convene the Second Forum of Rectors of Universities in Azerbaijan and produce a joint feature film highlighting the literary legacies of Nizami Ganjavi and Alisher Navoi.

The Uzbek President further noted that Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan would jointly host the FIFA World Youth Championship next year and had proposed a state programme titled “Two Countries — One Championship” in connection with the tournament.

Mirziyoyev said bilateral cooperation had extended beyond the two countries’ immediate agenda, particularly following Azerbaijan’s inclusion in the consultative meeting format of Central Asian heads of state. He said the development had contributed to strengthening connectivity and cooperation between Central Asia and the South Caucasus.

Speaking at the press conference, President Ilham Aliyev expressed gratitude to Mirziyoyev for the invitation and hospitality, describing the relations between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan as based on warm and fraternal ties.

Aliyev praised Uzbekistan’s economic and social transformation under Mirziyoyev’s leadership, saying the country had made significant progress in industrial development, agriculture, energy, transport infrastructure and investment attraction.

He said the strengthening of Uzbekistan’s economic potential had created the necessary foundation for the implementation of joint projects with Azerbaijan. According to Aliyev, bilateral trade could reach the $1 billion target within the next few years.

The Azerbaijani President said the close cooperation between Azerbaijan and Central Asian states had contributed to the emergence of a broader geopolitical and geo-economic space encompassing Central Asia and Azerbaijan.

He highlighted the wide-ranging nature of bilateral cooperation, including energy, transport, investment, tourism, mining, automotive manufacturing, agriculture, food processing and banking.

Aliyev noted that a leading Azerbaijani bank was entering the Uzbek market, while SOCAR was expanding into Uzbekistan’s retail market. He also said Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan were nearing the final stages of oil and gas exploration projects, with the possibility of beginning production drilling next year if exploration activities yield positive results.

The Azerbaijani President also praised Uzbekistan’s contribution to the reconstruction and development of Azerbaijan’s liberated territories, particularly through the construction of the Mirzo Ulugbek School in Fuzuli and investment in a garment manufacturing facility in Khankendi.

He said the two countries were creating a strong synergy through bilateral and regional cooperation, supported by a clear action plan and concrete investment projects.

Aliyev also emphasized the importance of the bilateral investment fund and said the growing portfolio of projects already represented billions of dollars in investment prospects.

Concluding his remarks, President Aliyev invited President Mirziyoyev to pay a state visit to Azerbaijan at a mutually convenient time.

The two leaders expressed confidence that the agreements and initiatives reached during the visit would give further impetus to bilateral relations and bring the two countries and their peoples closer together.