Avaza Meeting: Azerbaijan And Central Asia Shape A New Eurasian Axis

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 8. The National Tourism Zone of Avaza in Turkmenistan will host the next Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia and Azerbaijan on October 8. For Baku, the meeting comes at a time of noticeably deepening ties between the South Caucasus and Central Asia.

The decision taken in Tashkent in 2025 to grant Azerbaijan full membership in the Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia was a natural reflection of processes that have gradually been reshaping the architecture of regional cooperation in recent years. Azerbaijan's historical, cultural and economic ties with Central Asian countries have gained a stronger institutional foundation, evolving from bilateral and situational cooperation into a broader regional partnership.

This is particularly important amid a changing geopolitical and economic environment. Central Asia and the South Caucasus are increasingly viewed not as separate spaces, but as interconnected regions capable of jointly creating new trade routes, energy links and logistics chains between East and West.

From historical ties to strategic connectivity

Azerbaijan and the Central Asian states have traditionally maintained close historical and cultural relations. However, the current stage is characterized by the increasingly concrete economic and infrastructure content of these ties.

Cooperation covers energy, oil and gas, renewable energy, transport, trade and investment. Central Asian countries are also actively involved in the reconstruction of Karabakh, while regular mutual visits and the signing of new documents are gradually elevating bilateral relations to a higher level.

Notably, bilateral trade between Azerbaijan and the Central Asian countries reached $1.8 billion in 2025. Although imports from the region still account for the bulk of trade, Azerbaijani non-oil and gas products are also gradually strengthening their positions in Central Asian markets. In particular, exports of such products to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan increased by more than 5% year-on-year. Positive dynamics continued in 2026, with trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Central Asian countries reaching about $425 million in the first six months.

Thus, the relationship is no longer simply about expanding trade. A deeper economic interdependence is taking shape, with transport infrastructure becoming one of the main tools for further convergence.

Azerbaijan and Central Asia as a single transport space

Transport and connectivity can now become the main link between Central Asia and the South Caucasus.

Thanks to its geographical position, Azerbaijan effectively serves as one of the key links connecting Central Asian markets with Türkiye and European destinations. For Central Asian countries, this means broader access to global markets, while for Azerbaijan it means greater transit potential and a stronger role in the emerging Eurasian logistics architecture.

It is no coincidence that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said on October 2 at the 8th congress of the New Azerbaijan Party that the volume of transit cargo through the country is expected to reach 16 million tons in 2026. The president set a medium-term target of increasing this figure to 30 million tons.

These figures reflect a much broader process. The Middle Corridor is gradually moving beyond its perception as simply an alternative cargo route and becoming the foundation of a new system of trade and economic links between Asia and Europe.

The World Bank emphasizes that the next stage in the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route requires not only infrastructure construction, but also deep integration of railways, ports, customs authorities, logistics operators and border services. This also involves digitalization, harmonization of procedures and greater predictability of transportation.

This is where the interests of Azerbaijan and Central Asia largely coincide.

The countries of the region are interested in expanding alternative routes for their trade, while Azerbaijan is interested in increasing transit flows through its territory and further developing its port, railway and logistics infrastructure.

At the same time, the prospects of the Middle Corridor cannot be assessed solely in terms of cargo volumes. Its full development could create new production and trade chains along the entire route.

As World Bank representatives note, turning the Trans-Caspian route into a competitive trade and economic corridor will require the integration of operational processes, customs and border procedures, documentation and digital systems. The private sector will play a key role through investments in logistics, warehouses, distribution centers and modern services.

The potential of this direction is also reflected in World Bank projections. According to its assessment, if the necessary infrastructure and institutional improvements are implemented, delivery times between Asia and Europe via the Middle Corridor could fall to 18-19 days by 2040, compared with about 47-50 days currently.

Energy as a key element of regional connectivity

Energy cooperation is meanwhile becoming one of the clearest examples of how Azerbaijan's relations with Central Asia are moving from political dialogue toward practical projects. This involves traditional energy and oil and gas projects, as well as the development of entirely new infrastructure for transmitting renewable energy.

Turkmenistan is perhaps the most notable example in this regard. Baku and Ashgabat already have experience of joint work on energy resources in the Caspian Sea. Following the signing of a memorandum of understanding in 2021, the sides began steadily developing cooperation on the exploration and development of the Dostlug field.

The previously disputed Kapaz/Serdar field was renamed Dostlug, meaning“Friendship,” and the sides moved toward joint cooperation in the energy sector. In 2023, Baku and Ashgabat also discussed the possibility of SOCAR participating in projects at other Turkmen fields.

Meanwhile, 2026 has already demonstrated that the energy agenda between Baku and Ashgabat is reaching a new institutional level. During Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov's state visit to Azerbaijan on June 22-23, the sides signed an agreement on energy cooperation, along with documents covering transport, industry, investment and other areas.

As part of the June visit, Azerbaijan handed over the Dostlug oil tanker to Turkmenistan. The move has significance beyond symbolism: the development of maritime transportation creates additional opportunities to integrate the energy potential of the two countries with broader transport routes across the Caspian.

Energy relations between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan have also acquired a concrete investment dimension. In August 2026, Tashkent and SOCAR discussed energy projects in Uzbekistan with an estimated value of about $2 billion. Another important project involves SOCAR and Uzbekneftegaz in the Ustyurt region. In May 2026, bp joined the SOCAR-Uzbekneftegaz consortium for a project in Northern Ustyurt. The production sharing agreement covers six blocks.

At the same time, energy relations between Baku and Tashkent are developing beyond traditional energy. In September 2026, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan signed a Roadmap for Energy Cooperation for 2026-2028. The document covers development of the Central Asian-Azerbaijani Green Energy Corridor, the oil and gas sector, renewable energy, energy efficiency and investment. Integration of the two countries' energy systems remains another area of focus.

Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have created a trilateral framework for developing a new energy route between Central Asia and Europe. In November 2024, during COP29 in Baku, the presidents of the three countries signed an agreement on strategic partnership in the development and transmission of green energy. Subsequently, the power system operators of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan established a joint venture to implement the project.

It is precisely the combination of these two directions that makes energy cooperation one of the most important elements of the emerging Azerbaijan-Central Asia space.

From individual projects to a single regional space

Baku's full-fledged participation has institutionalized an already established practice of close interaction and created additional opportunities for its further expansion. At the same time, the logic of relations is gradually changing. While the focus was previously placed primarily on bilateral ties, regional connectivity is becoming increasingly important today.

Azerbaijan and Central Asia are effectively forming one of the new hubs of the Eurasian space - from China across the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan and the South Caucasus toward Türkiye and Europe. In this sense, the development of the Middle Corridor is not a standalone transport project, but the physical foundation of broader economic integration.

That is why the current meeting in Avaza comes at an important moment, when relations between the two regions are moving from historical and political affinity toward the formation of a sustainable system of economic, energy and transport interdependence.

Against the backdrop of geopolitical changes around the world, such connectivity is acquiring strategic importance. The closer Central Asia and the South Caucasus become, the more opportunities both sides will have to shape new trade routes independently, attract investment and strengthen the resilience of their economies.

Ultimately, this is about creating a space in which Azerbaijan and the Central Asian states do not simply complement each other, but jointly shape a new geoeconomic reality at the heart of Eurasia.

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