Ambassador: Azerbaijan's joining Central Asia format creates unified strategic space from Asia to Europe

Azerbaijan's accession to the format of consultative meetings of Central Asian heads of state opens a new platform for dialogue, cooperation, and mutual support, Azerbaijan's Ambassador to Sweden, Zaur Ahmadov, said in an article for the Swedish publication Geopolitika.

Ahmadov emphasized that the historic decision taken on November 16 at the Tashkent summit to include Azerbaijan in this regional format opens a new chapter for cooperation.

"This decision not only carries significant symbolic meaning, but also creates a new geopolitical and geoeconomic reality in which Azerbaijan and the Central Asian countries act as a unified strategic space stretching from Asia to Europe," he noted.

The diplomat highlighted that for several years, Azerbaijan and the Central Asian states have been strengthening interaction within various regional formats, primarily within the Organization of Turkic States (OTS). With full participation in the consultative meetings, this cooperation now reaches a new level.

Ahmadov also pointed out that in an era of global uncertainty and shifting economic centers of gravity, Central Asia is emerging as a region that demonstrates stability and predictability. The region is becoming a hub of international diplomacy, and the growing interest from the EU, the US, and China underscores its increasing importance.

According to him, Azerbaijan is also well-positioned to contribute to this dynamic. "Thanks to our geographic location on the Caspian coast, we serve as a natural bridge between Central Asia and Europe. Investments in the Middle Corridor, modernization of the Baku port, and development of rail and road infrastructure are increasingly linking the regions. The nearly 90% growth in cargo volumes passing through Azerbaijan in recent years shows how rapidly the significance of this route is increasing," the ambassador wrote.

Ahmadov added that closer cooperation with Central Asian countries, particularly Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, in energy, transport, and digitalization, is forming an integrated Eurasian transport space.

"At the same time, we maintain broad engagement with Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, based on mutual respect, pragmatism, and inclusivity," he concluded.