How closer Azerbaijan–Kazakhstan ties could reorient Central Asian integration
After the 8th Consultative Meeting in Avaza on 8 October, analysts say cooperation between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan on the Trans-Caspian corridor could become a new axis for regional trade.
Deepening cooperation between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan could reorient regional integration in Central Asia, analysts say. The view was expressed after the 8 October summit in Avaza.
The Avaza meeting
On 8 October, the 8th Consultative Meeting of Central Asian heads of state took place in Avaza, Turkmenistan. It was chaired by Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and attended by the leaders of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, along with Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev. It was the first such meeting with Azerbaijan as a full participant; the chairmanship passes to Azerbaijan next year.
The Middle Corridor
According to an analysis published by the Times of Central Asia, if Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan link the Middle Corridor (Trans-Caspian International Transport Route) with industrial cooperation, the corridor could become the main axis for regional development and access to European markets. Together the two countries account for roughly a third of the region's population but more than 60% of its GDP.
Figures and plans
According to Tokayev, intraregional trade last year reached about $13 billion — around 8% of total turnover; the goal is to raise it to at least $20 billion. The World Bank estimates that, if the necessary projects are implemented, cargo across the Caspian could quadruple by 2040. Trade between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan stood at $470.7 million in 2025.
Analysts note that landlocked Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan can only benefit from the corridor if connecting feeder networks are built.
