ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan reaffirmed their commitment to deepening their allied partnership and expanding bilateral cooperation during a meeting in Baku between Kazakh Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev on April 8.
Photo credit: gov.kz
Kosherbayev emphasized that the strong cooperation between the two countries has been built through a trusting dialogue at the highest level. He highlighted the impact of recent state visits, including President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s visit to Baku in March 2024, President Aliyev’s visit to Astana in October 2025, and the second meeting of the Supreme Interstate Council, which have elevated Kazakh-Azerbaijani relations to a new level, reported the Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s press service.
“Kazakh-Azerbaijani relations demonstrate steady and progressive development and possess significant potential. We reaffirm our strong commitment to further strengthening the allied partnership with brotherly Azerbaijan and enriching our cooperation,” Kosherbayev said.
The talks also addressed current international topics and emphasized the countries’ high level of cooperation within multilateral frameworks, underscoring their shared efforts to promote regional peace and stability.
Kosherbayev also met with his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov to discuss strengthening bilateral ties. The diplomats focused on expanding cooperation in trade, energy, transport, and culture, noting that mutual trade has grown fivefold to $470.7 million in 2025, with a target of $1 billion. They also reviewed key projects, including the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, energy transit, infrastructure, and telecommunications initiatives, while welcoming closer cultural, educational, and tourism exchanges and reaffirming coordination within international organizations.
Trade, transit, and investment links
Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan serve as a strategic link between Asia and Europe, playing a key role in the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, also known as the Middle Corridor. Over the past seven years, cargo volumes along the corridor have increased fivefold, from 0.8 to 4.5 million tons annually, with a capacity of up to 10 million tons and 300,000 TEU per year.
The countries have also developed major joint projects, including the Kazakh-Azerbaijani joint venture Baku Grain Terminal for Kazakh grain exports, the Production and Logistics Center in the SEZ Aktau Seaport operated by Azersun Holding, the establishment of a $300 million Direct Investment Fund in 2024, and an ongoing project to lay a fiber-optic communication line along the Caspian seabed, creating a digital telecom corridor connecting Europe and China.
Trade and economic cooperation between the two countries continues to expand. In 2025, trade turnover reached $470.7 million, with Kazakh exports totaling $402.5 million and imports from Azerbaijan $68.2 million, according to the ministry.
Currently, 1,518 Azerbaijani companies operate in Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijani foreign direct investment into Kazakhstan has totaled $220.1 million since 2013.
