BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 23. Turkmenistan
President Serdar Berdimuhamedov's state visit to Baku made one
thing clear: relations between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan are
entering a new phase - one defined by concrete projects and
long-term partnership.
Talks between Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Serdar Berdimuhamedov
showed that the bilateral agenda has moved well beyond conventional
diplomacy. Energy, transport, industry, trade, and people-to-people
ties emerged as the main areas of cooperation, each receiving fresh
momentum during the visit.
The key takeaway was not simply a reaffirmation of political
closeness, but the establishment of concrete mechanisms for the
work ahead. The visit concluded with a package of agreements
covering the full spectrum of bilateral engagement: energy,
industry, the economy, agriculture, food security, healthcare,
social welfare, sport, and diplomatic cooperation.
Among the documents signed were an energy cooperation agreement,
an industrial cooperation program for 2026–2028, and agreements on
economic interaction, food security, agriculture, customs
cooperation, healthcare, and more.
The economic dimension remains one of the pillars of the
relationship. Despite year-to-year fluctuations, bilateral trade
between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan consistently runs in the
hundreds of millions of dollars.
In 2024, trade turnover approached 303 million, while
Azerbaijani goods exported to Turkmenistan exceeded $`80
million.
Trade continued to grow in 2025. In the first six months, total
turnover reached $140.2 million - $30.3 million in Azerbaijani
exports and `$109.8 million in imports from Turkmenistan. By the
end of July, the figure had risen to approximately $154
million.
These numbers point to a solid economic foundation, though the
current phase of the relationship is about broadening the trade
structure and opening up new areas of cooperation.
Energy remains one of the top priorities. Both countries hold
significant resources and view their energy partnership as
strategic. The flagship project is the Dostlug field in the Caspian
Sea, whose joint development was formalized in a 2021
agreement.
The project stands as one of the clearest examples of how the
two countries have aligned their economic interests and tapped into
the potential of the Caspian region. Cooperation on energy supplies
and infrastructure development is ongoing alongside it.
Another symbol of the energy and transport partnership was the
oil tanker Dostlug, handed over by Azerbaijan to Turkmenistan
during the visit. Built at the Baku Shipbuilding Yard, the vessel
is 141 meters long, 16.9 meters wide, and has a deadweight of 7,875
tonnes.
The handover speaks to several dimensions of the partnership at
once: Azerbaijan's growing industrial capabilities, the
strengthening of Caspian maritime infrastructure, and both
countries' willingness to deliver on tangible, regionally
significant projects.
Transport was another central theme in the presidential talks.
Both Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan see the Caspian as a critical link
in East-West international routes. The development of the Middle
Corridor is opening new pathways for Central Asian cargo to reach
Georgian, Turkish, and European markets via Azerbaijan.
The current level of transport cooperation is itself the product
of sustained high-level dialogue. In August 2025, President Ilham
Aliyev visited Turkmenistan to take part in the first trilateral
summit in the Azerbaijan–Uzbekistan–Turkmenistan format.
A key focus of that meeting was Caspian connectivity - expanding
capacity at the ports of Baku and Turkmenbashi, digitizing freight
procedures, improving cargo route efficiency, and creating
conditions for higher transit volumes.
Those agreements are now providing the foundation for further
growth in both countries' transport potential. Azerbaijan and
Turkmenistan are not simply looking to leverage their geography -
they want to turn the Caspian into a more effective bridge between
themselves, Central Asia, and global markets.
In that context, the customs cooperation agreements and
statistical data-sharing arrangements signed during this visit
carry real weight. Mechanisms like these directly affect transit
speeds and make shipping routes more competitive.
But the partnership extends beyond economics. The mosque being
built in Fuzuli - an initiative by National Leader of the Turkmen
people and Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov
- has become a symbol of Turkmenistan's support for Azerbaijan's
reconstruction of Karabakh.
Cultural ties remain strong as well: Days of Culture are held
regularly, creative exchanges between artistic groups continue, and
the sister-city relationships between Baku and Ashgabat, as well as
Arkadag and Fuzuli, are deepening.
Political cooperation matters too. Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan
back each other at international forums, including the UN, the
Organization of Turkic States, and other regional platforms. Baku
consistently supports Turkmenistan's permanent neutrality, while
Ashgabat advocates for further bilateral engagement.
What defines this phase of the relationship is that political
trust between the two countries is closely tied to the personal
rapport of their leaders. Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Serdar
Berdimuhamedov have, in recent years, built the foundation for
expanded partnership - maintaining a regular high-level dialogue
and championing new joint initiatives.
Speaking to journalists after the talks, President Ilham Aliyev
stressed that the relationship rests on deep roots that go beyond
the current political moment.
"Our relations are built on a solid foundation of historical
ties, cultural connections, and spiritual bonds. We regularly host
performances by creative collectives. Just recently, at the
beginning of this month, the Days of Culture of Azerbaijan were
held in both Ashgabat and Arkadag. Last year, cultural figures from
Turkmenistan visited us for the Days of Culture in Baku and Ganja.
I should also note that Baku and Ashgabat are twin cities, just as
Arkadag and Fuzuli are. All of this demonstrates our unity. We
strive to fill our cooperation with concrete content and to deepen
our interaction," President Ilham Aliyev said.
President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, for his part,
noted that the current level of cooperation reflects the sustained
efforts of both sides.
"The relations between the two countries are developing
dynamically and progressively based on the principles of equality
and mutual benefit. We reaffirmed our readiness to continue active
cooperation between the two countries within authoritative
international and regional organizations," he said.
It is precisely this political commitment that is allowing Baku
and Ashgabat to move from broad statements to concrete outcomes -
from energy projects and transport corridors to industrial
cooperation and humanitarian initiatives.
President Berdimuhamedov's visit was a continuation of a course
already set. It confirmed that Azerbaijan-Turkmenistan relations
are moving forward, and that the personal engagement of Presidents
Ilham Aliyev and Serdar Berdimuhamedov remains one of the key
drivers of that progress.
Over recent years, the two countries have built a model of
relations in which political trust, economic interests, and a
shared regional agenda reinforce one another. Today, Azerbaijan and
Turkmenistan see each other not merely as Caspian neighbors, but as
long-term partners with the capacity to deliver projects that
matter for the entire region.
