Azernews.Az

Qabil Ashirov

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Central Asia is not merely a neighbor for Azerbaijan, but a natural partner, AzerNEWS reports, citing Farid Shafiyev, Chairman of the Board of the Center of Analysis of International Relations, as he said at the international conference titled “C6: One Region, One Shared Future – Strengthening Strategic Dialogue.”

According to Shafiyev, Azerbaijan elevated the regional cooperation mechanism from the C5 to the C6 format in November 2025 by joining the Consultative Meetings of Central Asian Heads of State as a full-fledged member.

“The decision, formalized during the 7th Consultative Meeting held in Tashkent, demonstrates that regional cooperation has entered a new phase,” he said. “This important step further strengthens ties between Azerbaijan and the Central Asian countries and contributes to the formation of a more integrated geoeconomic and geopolitical space across the Caspian basin.”

Shafiyev emphasized that while shared history and rich cultural heritage provide an important foundation, the defining factor in today’s partnership is geoeconomics — particularly cooperation in energy, transportation, logistics, and infrastructure.

“At a time when traditional assumptions about stability in the Eurasian space are losing relevance, these ties are acquiring new meaning and strategic significance,” he noted.

He added that landlocked partner states can significantly expand their opportunities through Azerbaijan’s existing transport and maritime infrastructure.

“This includes building deeper connections with Turkish and European markets via the Middle Corridor and the Caspian Sea, as well as access to Black Sea and Mediterranean routes. Simply put, C6 increases choices. In today’s world, having options is of vital importance. However, C6 should not be limited solely to transit corridors,” Shafiyev said.

The CAIR chairman further underlined that there are numerous areas in which regional countries can implement joint projects.

“There is substantial potential to achieve concrete and measurable results through coordinated planning and joint initiatives in renewable energy, technology exchange, and the modernization of energy infrastructure,” he concluded.