President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev gave a speech in Tashkent on 16 November at the 7th Consultative Meeting of Central Asian leaders, where regional heads of state gathered to discuss cooperation and Azerbaijan’s expanding role in the format.
President Ilham Aliyev paid tribute to Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, thanking him for the invitation and what he described as the country’s traditional hospitality. He praised Uzbekistan’s development in recent years—its economic reforms, major infrastructure projects and rising international standing—which, he said, had positioned the country as a regional leader and a growing sporting power. President Ilham Aliyev described President Mirziyoyev as a “wise statesman” whose efforts had strengthened ties between the two countries and helped reinforce the case for closer cooperation between Azerbaijan and the nations of Central Asia.
Referring to the leaders’ visit to the newly inaugurated Centre of Islamic Civilisation in Tashkent, President Ilham Aliyev said the institution reflected Uzbekistan’s commitment to safeguarding its cultural heritage at a time of rising global Islamophobia. He suggested the centre would stand as a significant contribution to the wider Islamic world. Turning to Azerbaijan’s regional engagement, he recalled previous invitations to summits in Tajikistan and Kazakhstan and described relations with Central Asian states as rooted in shared history, cultural affinity and longstanding friendship. He underlined the scale of diplomatic exchanges and agreements in recent years, which he said had elevated cooperation to the level of a strategic partnership and effectively created a single geopolitical and geo-economic space linking the South Caucasus with Central Asia.
President Ilham Aliyev also highlighted the support offered by regional partners for reconstruction work in Azerbaijan’s recently reclaimed territories. Schools and cultural centres funded by Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have already opened in Fuzuli and Aghdam, and a new mosque project backed by Turkmenistan is now under way. He described these initiatives as enduring expressions of regional solidarity. Looking to future connectivity, he pointed to the rapid expansion of the Middle Corridor, with transit through Azerbaijan rising by 90% in three years. Major upgrades to the Alat International Port, the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway and aviation infrastructure, along with upcoming links to the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and new digital and energy projects across the Caspian, were presented as key elements in strengthening the region’s transport and communications architecture.
In closing, President Ilham Aliyev welcomed the decision to admit Azerbaijan as a full participant in the Central Asia cooperation format, calling it further evidence of the “friendly and fraternal” nature of regional ties. Delegates also heard a letter from UN Secretary-General António Guterres before signing a resolution formalising Azerbaijan’s membership alongside several other documents.
An Inca child mummy discovered high in the Andes more than a century ago has been returned to an indigenous community in north-western Argentina after...
A renewed wave of U.S. diplomatic activity in the South Caucasus highlights Washington’s growing focus on regional connectivity, trade and security,...
A growing majority of Europeans believe the European Union should pursue a more independent foreign policy and reduce its reliance on the U.S., accord...
India is expected to experience its weakest monsoon in more than a decade in 2026, raising concerns over crop production, food prices and economic gro...
The United States has warned Oman against supporting any effort to impose tolls in the Strait of Hormuz, saying Washington would penalise any parties ...
A renewed wave of U.S. diplomatic activity in the South Caucasus highlights Washington’s growing focus on regional connectivity, trade and security, according to Associate Professor George Mchedlishvili of European University in Tbilisi.
India is expected to experience its weakest monsoon in more than a decade in 2026, raising concerns over crop production, food prices and economic growth as the country also grapples with inflationary pressures linked to the Iran conflict.
The United States has warned Oman against supporting any effort to impose tolls in the Strait of Hormuz, saying Washington would penalise any parties involved in facilitating such a system.
Kyrgyzstan has signed a series of cooperation agreements with China and Belarus at the Fifth Forum of Regional Leaders of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states, underlining the country's growing economic engagement within the regional bloc.
A group of Azerbaijani civil society organisations has called for increased scrutiny of Swiss building materials giant Holcim, citing court rulings and ongoing investigations linked to its subsidiary Lafarge's activities during the Syrian conflict.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says ongoing conflict, funding pressures and international travel restrictions are complicating efforts to contain a fast-growing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Russia and Kazakhstan signed 15 agreements during President Vladimir Putin’s state visit to Astana on Thursday (28 May), including deals on Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power plant and expanded oil cooperation with Russia.
The trial of a 21-year-old accused of planning an Islamist attack at a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna entered its final day on Thursday (28 May), with a verdict expected later in the evening.
France will become the first country in the European Union to reimburse anti-obesity drugs through its public healthcare system, Health Minister Stéphanie Rist announced on Thursday (28 May).
A renewed wave of U.S. diplomatic activity in the South Caucasus highlights Washington’s growing focus on regional connectivity, trade and security, according to Associate Professor George Mchedlishvili of European University in Tbilisi.
Kyrgyzstan has signed a series of cooperation agreements with China and Belarus at the Fifth Forum of Regional Leaders of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states, underlining the country's growing economic engagement within the regional bloc.
A group of Azerbaijani civil society organisations has called for increased scrutiny of Swiss building materials giant Holcim, citing court rulings and ongoing investigations linked to its subsidiary Lafarge's activities during the Syrian conflict.
Kazakhstan has reiterated that no existing route can replace the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), which carries more than 80% of the country's crude oil exports through Russia to the Black Sea.
Russia and Kazakhstan signed 15 agreements during President Vladimir Putin’s state visit to Astana on Thursday (28 May), including deals on Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power plant and expanded oil cooperation with Russia.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment