Director of the Center for Strategic Policy and International Relations Studies (CASPIA) Orkhan Yolchiyev, in an interview with Media.Az, assessed the current state and future prospects of allied relations between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, highlighting the growing political, economic, and transport connectivity between the two countries.

According to the expert, Azerbaijan-Uzbekistan relations have already reached the level of an alliance and today represent more than successful bilateral cooperation, with the two countries effectively forming a strategic link between the South Caucasus and Central Asia.

“We are witnessing the formation of an allied axis connecting the South Caucasus and Central Asia. Its distinctive feature is that the historical and cultural closeness of our peoples is receiving full political and economic institutionalization,” Yolchiyev said.

He emphasized that the current stage of relations involves not only political support, but also the coordination of long-term interests in the areas of economic cooperation, regional security, connectivity, and international affairs.

Yolchiyev also highlighted the high level of political dialogue between Baku and Tashkent. According to him, the numerous reciprocal high-level visits demonstrate the unprecedented intensity of contacts between the two countries.

The expert also drew attention to Uzbekistan’s involvement in the reconstruction of Azerbaijan’s liberated territories. In particular, the Uzbek side has supported projects in Karabakh, including the construction of the Mirzo Ulugbek School and a garment factory in Khankendi.

According to the CASPIA director, economic relations between the two countries are also moving to a qualitatively new level. While bilateral cooperation was previously based primarily on trade, it is now increasingly focused on joint production, investment, and the development of transregional value chains.

In 2025, bilateral trade between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, according to the expert, increased approximately threefold to around $800 million. During January-May of this year, trade grew by a further 33%.

At the same time, more than 130 companies with Uzbek capital operate in Azerbaijan, while Azerbaijani investments are expanding their presence in Uzbekistan. Yolchiyev identified mechanical engineering, petrochemicals, agriculture, and logistics as promising areas for further cooperation.

The expert identified the Middle Corridor as one of the key areas for further cooperation. According to him, transit traffic between the two countries reached approximately 1.4 million tons in 2025, increasing by 6.7%, while growth reached 12.2% in the first half of this year.

Yolchiyev noted that the development of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway and its future integration with the Middle Corridor and TRACECA could significantly strengthen Central Asia’s connectivity with the Caspian Sea, the South Caucasus, and European markets.

“The Middle Corridor is gradually ceasing to be simply a single transport route and is becoming an interconnected network of routes,” the expert said.

In his assessment, Uzbekistan could become one of the key centers for generating cargo flows in Central Asia, while Azerbaijan could serve as a major trans-Caspian hub for transporting these flows westward.

In the energy sector, according to Yolchiyev, cooperation is also gradually moving beyond traditional oil and gas projects. He noted the activities of SOCAR and Uzbekneftegaz, as well as prospects for cooperation in green energy and regional energy connectivity.

The expert also assessed Azerbaijan-Uzbekistan coordination within the Organization of Turkic States. In his view, the two countries can play a significant role in transforming the OTS from primarily a cultural and political platform into a more practical framework for economic integration.

Among the promising areas, he highlighted the simplification of customs procedures, trade digitalization, common transport standards, joint investment funds, industrial cooperation, and energy and education projects.

Yolchiyev stressed that the economic and strategic capabilities of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan complement each other: Uzbekistan has significant demographic and industrial potential, while Azerbaijan provides strategic access to the Caspian Sea, the South Caucasus, Türkiye, and European markets.

“This is an alliance capable of creating a common economy, common infrastructure and, most importantly, a shared strategic future,” the CASPIA director concluded.

According to his assessment, the further development of joint transport, energy, investment, and industrial projects will strengthen connectivity between Central Asia, the Caspian region, the South Caucasus, and Europe.