ISLAMABAD (Urdu Times) A New Chapter in Azerbaijan–Uzbekistan Relations: From Eternal Friendship to Strategic Partnership

By Mr. Khalid Taimur Akram, Executive Director, Pakistan Research Center for a Community with Shared Future (PRCCSF), Islamabad

ISLAMABAD (Urdu Times) Centuries ago, when the Caspian Sea separated the Central Asia and the Caucasus region, caravans connected both. Today, their modern equivalents are railways, ports, investment agreements and trade corridors. It is the story of two countries separated by the sea but connected by shared history, geopolitics, Turkic solidarity and years of friendly diplomacy. It is the story of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan.

On 23^rd August, 2026, the streets of Tashkent carried the flags of two countries; Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan. It was a gesture to welcome His Excellency President Ilham Aliyev to Uzbekistan. Azerbaijani President H.E. Ilham Aliyev arrived in Uzbekistan on August 23 for a state visit at the invitation of His Excellency President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. He was received at Tashkent’s Humo International Airport by H.E. President Mirziyoyev, who warmly welcomed the Azerbaijani leader and his delegation. Yet the highlight of these 2 days state visit was not the red carpet, official ceremony, or the exchange of greetings. It was the signing of the Treaty on Eternal Friendship between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan—a document that underscored the growing importance of the relationship between the two countries.

The name of the treaty may sound emotional but there lies a practical message in it. This landmark treaty symbolizes that Baku and Tashkent are expanding their friendship beyond the historical relations and the cultural affinity. When alongside the Treaty on Eternal Friendship, new projects in banking, energy, tourism and mining were launched, it reflected the readiness of both countries towards expanding their cooperation in trade, investment, transport, energy and regional connectivity. They are building an economic, political and strategic partnership suited to a rapidly changing Eurasia.

The timing of Azerbaijan-Uzbekistan Summitt is very important. It is so because the relations between the two countries are entering a new phase. The friendly partnership is now turning into a strategic alliance. The Azerbaijan-Uzbekistan bilateral relations are growing rapidly across all spheres under the leadership of the two Presidents. At the same time, during the visit, 3^rd meeting of the Supreme Interstate Council was also held. It is a presidential-level body established in 2023 to coordinate long-term bilateral cooperation. The meeting was chaired by the Presidents of Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan. It brought together the political and economic sies of the relationship, awhile new projects and agreements showed that the partnership is moving from declarations to implementation.

This state visit of His Excellency President Aliyev is an important development in further strengthening the bilateral relations and advancing mutual interests of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan. As discussed earlier, a wide range of topics were addressed during this visit and some major goals were also identified for achievement in the coming years. The most important political outcome of the visit was the signing of the Treaty on Eternal Friendship. It represents a historic milestone in relations between the two countries.

To understand the significance of the Eternal Friendship treaty signed between the two countries, we must understand the historical relations between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan. Both are Turkic countries with deep cultural connection and long historical traditions. They play a pivotal role in connecting Central Asia and the Caucasus. However, the growing closeness between Tashkent and Baku is not related to cultural bonds only.

The treaty carries significance well beyond the scope of a conventional bilateral agreement. This treaty places the bilateral relations on a more enduring political footing. The long-term political vision reflected in the treaty is highly commendable. The treaty does not focus on sector-specific cooperation, rather it signals the two Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan’s determination to preserve mutual trust, strengthen strategic coordination, and further consolidate their partnership and alliance.

Past several years have seen rapid progress in the bilateral relations of two countries. The leaderships of both Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan have established regular high-level dialogue, and the Supreme Interstate Council has become an important mechanism for managing the relationship.

This institutional framework matters.

Friendship between leaders can produce headlines, but institutions are what make cooperation survive political and economic changes.

In addition to the signing of Treaty on Eternal Friendship, another highlight of the visit was the announcement of the decision to raise bilateral trade turnover to $1 billion by 2030. The target is ambitious but it is not starting from 0. It is the extension of an existing trajectory of economic cooperation. H.E. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev pointed out that mutual trade had tripled over the past five years while the portfolio of joint projects had exceeded $5 billion.

The two sides also signed a programme aimed at reaching the $1 billion trade target and a practical action plan for implementing agreements in investment and trade.

These numbers are important because they show where the relationship is heading. The language of brotherhood may define the political relationship, but investment, factories, logistics and trade will determine how deep that relationship becomes.

During the visit, new joint projects were also launched in areas including banking, construction materials, education, fuel-station infrastructure, tourism, housing, mineral processing and horticulture.

That is perhaps the clearest sign that the partnership is becoming practical.

Since transport is an important dimension of Azerbaijan-Uzbekistan relations, so, during the visit of President Ilham Aliyev, President Mirziyoyev called for faster development of a joint Caspian Sea fleet and discussed creating a dedicated Uzbekistan–Azerbaijan maritime corridor with a single operator, while President Aliyev urged acceleration of work on an Uzbek ferry. Investment is also becoming a major pillar of the relationship. Hence, we can say that this visit was truly a remarkable one.

Simply put, the two days state visit of President Aliyev marks a new chapter in Azerbaijan–Uzbekistan relations. This new phase is all about transforming historical friendship into a practical strategic partnership. With the Treaty on Eternal Friendship, expanding trade and investment, and stronger transport links, Baku and Tashkent are building a partnership that can play an important role in connecting Central Asia with the Caucasus and Europe.