Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan reinforce ties ahead of ECO Summit

Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev visits Azerbaijan, discussing trade, energy, and regional connectivity with President Ilham Aliyev. They also laid the foundation stone for a new park.

Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has arrived in Azerbaijan for a state visit, underscoring a growing partnership between the two countries in Central Asia and South Caucasus.Mirziyoyev's trip comes just days before the 17th Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) Summit begins in Khankendi. Welcomed by President Ilham Aliyev in Baku, Mirziyoyev held bilateral talks focused on trade, transportation, energy and regional connectivity, as well as the opening of a new embassy building in the Azerbaijani capital. During the visit, the two leaders also laid the foundation stone for a new “Uzbekistan” park in the Azerbaijani capital. The trip follows a series of high-level exchanges as both nations continue to invest in more comprehensive cross-regional cooperation. Agreements between the two sides now encompass logistics, renewables and cultural exchange, as Tashkent and Baku look to position themselves as platforms for wider integration between Europe and Asia.Mirziyoyev will also attend the ECO Summit, where heads of state from across the region are expected to discuss trade corridors, sustainability and economic alignment. For Azerbaijan, the visit underscores its growing role as a diplomatic and economic bridge between Asia and Europe, while for Uzbekistan, it marks the continuation of its outward-facing diplomatic push.