Turning to bilateral ties, Ilham Aliyev singled out President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's role in strengthening them and bringing them to their current level of engagement — that of an alliance. He also commended the scale of transformation underway in Uzbekistan, the momentum of its economic and infrastructure development, and the strengthening of the country's international standing. In his words, mutual trust and regular dialogue between the two leaders have generated unprecedented momentum in relations: over the past five years, 15 reciprocal top-level visits have taken place.

Trade, investment, and transport have given the alliance its practical substance. In 2025, trade turnover more than tripled to $795 million, while the combined capital of the Azerbaijan–Uzbekistan Investment Company reached $500 million. Transit shipments totalled 1.4 million tonnes, and more than 130 companies with investment from Uzbekistan are now registered in Azerbaijan.

On the regional agenda, Ilham Aliyev highlighted Azerbaijan's full participation in the Consultative Meetings of the Heads of State of Central Asia, noting that the "C5" format has effectively become "C6." Among shared priorities, he identified linking the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway with the Middle Corridor and the TRIPP route, along with the development of a green energy corridor across the Caspian Sea.

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