The President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, held a meeting at the Kuksaroy residence in Tashkent. The purpose of the visit was to discuss strengthening strategic partnership and alliance, as well as initiating new joint projects, according to the press service of the President of Uzbekistan.
The leaders held a limited-format meeting, which marked the third session of the Supreme Intergovernmental Council of Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan. Mirziyoyev called Aliyev's state visit a historic event, noting that one of the main confirmations of this will be the signing of the Treaty of Eternal Friendship after the summit.
The President of Uzbekistan emphasized that every aspect of their strategic partnership and alliance is transforming into tangible and concrete results. The heads of state noted the dynamic development of bilateral ties established at the parliamentary, governmental, and industry levels.
Preparations for the visit included a meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission, a meeting of the Business Council, and the holding of a Regions Forum. Over the past five years, trade turnover between the two countries has tripled. Currently, joint projects are being implemented in the fields of energy, chemical and mining industries, textiles, agriculture, urban development, and other sectors.
At the meeting, the possibility of increasing bilateral trade to 1 billion US dollars was noted. To achieve this goal, the parties plan to adopt a special program with specific measures. New cooperation projects are also planned, for which it is proposed to actively use the Joint Investment Company for financing.
The presidents focused on developing transport connectivity and jointly promoting the Middle Corridor. Agreement was reached to continue active exchange in culture, education, youth policy, and sports.
The second Forum of Rectors of leading universities will take place in Azerbaijan in autumn 2026. The visit also includes the planned opening of the new building of Nizami Ganjavi National Pedagogical University and the start of construction of the Azerbaijan Park in New Tashkent.
To further strengthen the bond between the peoples, the parties proposed creating a joint film titled 'Literary Bridge between Nizami Ganjavi and Alisher Navoi'. In 2027, Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan will host an important sporting event—the U-20 World Cup. In this regard, the parties intend to develop a large-scale program 'Two Countries—One Championship', including joint sports, cultural, and youth events.
The presidents also exchanged views on current international and regional issues. During the session, reports from the co-chairs of the Intergovernmental Commission were heard. After the meeting, the parties decided to develop a roadmap to ensure the timely and effective implementation of the agreements reached. The session concluded with the launch of joint projects in banking and finance, construction material production, education, oil and gas industry, tourism, housing construction, mining, and agriculture.
