Program and Roadmap Are Being Prepared
Uzbek Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade Laziz Kudratov has held talks with Azerbaijan’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Uzbekistan, Rashad Mammadov.
The parties discussed a program aimed at increasing bilateral trade turnover to $1 billion by 2030. They are also preparing a roadmap for implementing previous agreements and other documents intended to support trade and investment projects.
The program is still being drafted and has not yet been presented as a finalized plan. The two sides identified the next areas of work following the meeting.
Further steps were identified to increase trade, promote investment projects and develop interregional ties
Details of the talks were published on the Uzbek government portal.
Bilateral Trade Reached $307.3 Million
Trade between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan reached $307.3 million in 2025, representing a 14.6% increase compared with the previous year.
In January–June 2026, bilateral turnover amounted to $170.3 million, rising by 30.8% year on year. Reaching the $1 billion target will therefore require trade to more than triple from its 2025 level.
The two countries plan to support this expansion through new investment initiatives, direct business contacts and stronger cooperation between their regions.
Interregional Forum Scheduled for August 22
Preparations for the fourth Uzbekistan–Azerbaijan Interregional Forum were another major topic of the meeting. The event will take place in Tashkent on August 22, 2026.
According to the official forum announcement, the event will bring together government agencies, regional administrations, investors and business representatives from both countries. It is intended to facilitate direct commercial contacts and the development of specific trade and investment projects.
Interregional cooperation could support additional shipments of agricultural products, food, textiles, chemicals, industrial machinery and other goods.
Middle Corridor Could Support Trade Growth
Reaching the trade target will require not only a broader range of goods but also reliable transport infrastructure. As a landlocked country, Uzbekistan depends on transit partners, while Azerbaijan provides access across the Caspian Sea and the South Caucasus toward Türkiye and European markets.
Cooperation between the two countries is closely connected to the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, commonly known as the Middle Corridor. The route combines Central Asian railways, Caspian ports, maritime services to Azerbaijan and onward connections through the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway.
An official Azerbaijani assessment of bilateral cooperation identified the Middle Corridor as an important source of new opportunities for trade, transit and logistics development.
Further growth will depend on coordinated tariffs, sufficient railway and port capacity, faster customs procedures and regular container services between the two countries.
