BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 29. Kyrgyzstan is set to
host the informal Central Asia-Azerbaijan summit. The meeting will
take place at a time when the C6 format is gradually moving beyond
the usual mechanism of political consultations and is beginning to
acquire strategic significance for all of Eurasia.
Today, the global economy is undergoing a major transformation.
While just a few decades ago, states competed primarily as
independent players, now entire macro-regions, united by transport,
energy, trade, and investment links, are playing an increasingly
important role. This is why regional associations and cooperation
formats capable of offering sustainable logistics routes,
integrated markets, and joint infrastructure projects are gaining
increasing importance worldwide.
Against this backdrop, Central Asia is no longer perceived as a
peripheral region. It is becoming one of the new centers of
economic growth in Eurasia, attracting the attention of major
global players. At the same time, the importance of the South
Caucasus has grown significantly, becoming a key link in the
transport routes between Asia and Europe.
It's in this new geoeconomic reality that cooperation between
Azerbaijan and the Central Asian countries is taking on a
completely new dimension. The C6 format is no longer simply a
platform for political dialogue. It is becoming a tool for creating
a unified space of interconnectedness, bringing together transport,
energy, trade, investment, digitalization, and security.
It's important to note that cooperation between Azerbaijan and
the Central Asian states is not new. They are linked by the
historical routes of the Great Silk Road, close trade relations, a
common Turkic civilizational foundation, and converging long-term
strategic interests. The decision for Azerbaijan to work in a
consultative format, adopted in 2025, merely institutionalized
processes that had already been actively developing in recent
years.
Natural partners
Many regional experts call the current C6 format historically
logical. Azerbaijan and the Central Asian states were never random
neighbors. For centuries, they formed a single trading space,
connecting East and West. The Caspian Sea was the site of the most
important routes of the Great Silk Road, and today, their place is
being taken by modern transport, energy, and digital corridors.
Therefore, current cooperation is restoring the region's natural
interconnectedness rather than creating it anew.
This is not an opportunistic political project, but a return to
the objective geographic and economic logic of the region's
development.
It's precisely this complementarity that makes the C6 format so
promising. For the Central Asian states, Azerbaijan is becoming the
shortest route to the Caucasus, Türkiye, and European markets. The
Middle Corridor, the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, the largest seaport
on the Caspian Sea, and the energy infrastructure connecting the
Caspian region with Europe pass through its territory.
Meanwhile, the Central Asian countries provide Azerbaijan with
access to the Eurasian domestic market and China. Thus, Azerbaijan
becomes Central Asia's gateway to the West, and Central Asia
becomes Azerbaijan's gateway to the East. This is precisely why
both sides objectively enhance each other's strategic
importance.
This complementarity is also reflected in economic indicators.
Despite the significant potential for further growth, trade and
economic cooperation between Azerbaijan and the Central Asian
states is already demonstrating steady positive dynamics.
By the end of 2025, Azerbaijan's mutual trade with Central Asian
countries reached $1.8 billion. Imports from the region account for
the majority of this turnover. At the same time, Azerbaijani
producers are gradually strengthening their position in Central
Asian markets. For example, exports of non-oil and gas products of
Azerbaijani origin to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan increased by more
than 5% compared to the previous year, demonstrating the gradual
diversification of trade relations and the expanding presence of
Azerbaijani products in the region.
This positive trend continues this year. According to the State
Customs Committee of Azerbaijan, in the first six months of 2026,
the country's trade turnover with the Central Asian states amounted
to approximately $425 million, confirming the steady development of
economic cooperation.
Middle Corridor – key project of new
Eurasia
The most striking example of such a partnership is the
development of the Middle Corridor. Today, the Trans-Caspian
International Transport Route is no longer seen as an alternative
logistics route, but as one of the most important future routes
between Asia and Europe.
The construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway is
of particular importance. Once completed, it will become the
eastern link of the Middle Corridor, which then runs through the
Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye. This is why
President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov called the Zangezur Corridor
a logical extension of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway.
"Today, we are witnessing the creation of a new regional
transport artery. The construction of the strategically important
China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway will not only connect but will
also reshape logistics, opening the shortest route for our
countries to the largest markets in Asia and Europe. In this
context, the Zangezur Corridor project is seen as a logical and
strategic continuation of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway,"
Japarov said at the 7th Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State
of Central Asia in the "Central Asia + Azerbaijan" format in
November 2025.
The Zangezur Corridor is increasingly becoming an element of the
new geoeconomic architecture of Eurasia. For Azerbaijan, the
Zangezur Corridor is both an internal connectivity project and an
element of its international transport strategy. As President Ilham
Aliyev stated in an interview with local television channels on
January 5, 2026, Azerbaijan expects cargo from China and Central
Asian countries to travel along the Zangezur Corridor as well.
"We naturally view it primarily as a link with the Nakhchivan
Autonomous Republic, but also as an international transport
corridor. Currently, there is only one railway route from
Azerbaijan westward. There will be two. Two are always better than
one, especially when you have no access to the world ocean and have
to go through neighboring countries. It is always better to have an
alternative for volumes, to be competitive, to prevent
monopolization of the transit route by anyone, and, of course, to
ensure more competitive tariffs," the head of state said.
The Zangezur Corridor isn't intended to duplicate existing
routes, but rather to create an alternative - a key logistics
category for landlocked countries. This alternative means
competitive tariffs, reduced operational risks, less dependence on
a single route, and improved predictability of deliveries -
parameters critical for modern supply chains.
Together, these projects can create a unified transport system
from the Pacific Ocean to Europe. As a result, Azerbaijan will
cement its status as one of the most important logistics hubs in
Eurasia, while Central Asian states will gain reliable access to
global markets.
However, transport is only one element of the new cooperation
model.
Azerbaijan and the Central Asian states are already actively
cooperating within the CAREC program, developing trade, transport
infrastructure, digitalization of customs procedures, and
investment cooperation.
Energy is also emerging as a promising area. Azerbaijan is
actively developing the Caspian "green" energy corridor, while
Kyrgyzstan is developing hydropower, solar, and wind power
projects. Potential for combining these potentials within the
framework of regional energy cooperation is already being
discussed.
Traditional energy is also developing: Bishkek is negotiating
with Baku to increase supplies of Azerbaijani oil and petroleum
products. Essentially, the discussion is about forming a
comprehensive economic partnership encompassing transport, energy,
investment, digital technology, industry, and trade.
OTS and C6 - complementary formats
The development of cooperation is receiving additional impetus
within the Organization of Turkic States (OTS). Namely the OTS
forms the common political basis for interaction, while the C6
format focuses on the practical implementation of joint projects
between Azerbaijan and the Central Asian states.
These mechanisms don't compete with each other, but, on the
contrary, reinforce each other, creating a multi-layered system of
regional integration.
Kyrgyzstan - one of Azerbaijan's main
partners
Kyrgyzstan holds a special place in the new cooperation
architecture.
Namely Bishkek was one of the first to support Azerbaijan's
participation in the Central Asian consultative format,
consistently advocating for stronger ties between Central Asia and
the South Caucasus.
Today, bilateral relations are developing in virtually all key
areas - from transport and investment to energy, digitalization,
and space technology.
The Azerbaijan-Kyrgyzstan Development Fund, whose capital is
planned to be increased to $100 million, continues its work. Trade
infrastructure is being developed, and new investment projects,
supplies of Azerbaijani oil, and cooperation in renewable energy
are being discussed.
The key feature of the C6 format is that it responds to
objective changes in the global economy.
Today, it is not individual states that benefit, but regions
that are able to combine their advantages into a unified system of
transport, energy, investment, and production ties.
Central Asia and Azerbaijan are gradually becoming precisely
such a system.
Therefore, the significance of the C6 is not determined by the
number of summits and adopted documents. Its main value is that it
creates a new geo-economic reality in which Central Asia and
Azerbaijan no longer act as separate partners, but as a single
strategic space connecting East and West.
