Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) —  Our Joint Efforts Have Elevated Uzbek-Azerbaijani Relations to the Highest Level of Intergovernmental Interaction. This opinion was shared by Bakhtier Mustafayev, Deputy Director of the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan (ISMI), during the online conference "Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan: New Perspectives for Mutual Cooperation," held on 27 August in Tashkent.

The event, organized by ISMI in collaboration with the Center for Analysis of International Relations of the Republic of Azerbaijan, featured the heads of diplomatic missions from Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan, as well as leaders and experts from leading analytical and research centers of both countries.

The Deputy Director of ISMI emphasized the importance of the event, which followed a significant milestone — the visit of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to Uzbekistan. "By advancing to a new stage of multifaceted cooperation and moving to allied bilateral relations, our states have made a colossal breakthrough," asserted Bakhtier Mustafayev.

According to the expert, "This achievement is backed by the political resolve and will of our leaders, who have progressively raised the bar for bilateral cooperation. This has allowed us to rapidly elevate Uzbek-Azerbaijani relations to the highest level of intergovernmental interaction."

The representative of ISMI noted that trade and economic cooperation holds a vital place in bilateral relations, which, thanks to joint efforts, has taken on a new quality. "Over the past 9 years, the trade volume between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan has increased elevenfold, and the number of joint enterprises has grown 3.5 times," emphasized the expert.

In this context, according to the Deputy Director of ISMI, expanding the scope of economic cooperation with new directions plays an important role.

First and foremost is the deepening of trade relations through import substitution from third countries, considering the complementarity of our economies. "This is particularly relevant given the global instability and disruption of supply chains for essential products," highlighted Bakhtier Mustafayev.

Secondly, the realization of joint industrial cooperation projects is crucial. The expert believes that actively accelerating economic cooperation will ensure the future creation of competitive and export-oriented industries in both Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan.

Thirdly, according to the Deputy Director of ISMI, strengthening ties in the energy sector is a priority for the development of Uzbek-Azerbaijani partnership. "In the future, this will enhance the export potential of our states, which is highly relevant in the context of the global trend towards renewable energy sources," expressed the expert’s confidence.

Another important area of bilateral cooperation identified by the expert is the development of transit and logistics interaction. He noted that "implementing joint projects in this direction should be viewed as a significant factor for economic growth."

"By creating a foundation today in key areas of interaction, we are not only making a substantial contribution to strengthening our bilateral dialogue but also laying the groundwork for more extensive connections between Central Asia and the South Caucasus," concluded Bakhtier Mustafayev.