Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan are setting an ambitious but increasingly realistic economic target, raising bilateral trade to $1 billion by 2030. At first glance, the figure may appear to be simply another trade objective announced by two governments. In reality, however, the target could become part of a much broader transformation in economic relations between the South Caucasus and Central Asia.
The current trade figures show that momentum already exists, with bilateral trade reaching $307.3 million in 2025, representing a 14.6 per cent increase from the previous year. Besides, during the first six months of 2026, trade reached $170.3 million, up 30.8 per cent year on year. If this growth continues and is supported by new investment and business projects, the $1 billion target could become more than a diplomatic aspiration.
The most important aspect of the new initiative is that Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan are not focusing exclusively on increasing the exchange of goods. Their discussions also emphasise investment cooperation, business-to-business contacts and regional partnerships. This is significant because sustainable trade growth usually depends on the development of productive relationships between companies, rather than on government agreements alone.
Uzbekistan is Central Asia’s most populous country and has a large domestic market, a growing industrial base and an increasingly outward-looking economy. Azerbaijan, meanwhile, has developed substantial transport, logistics and energy infrastructure and occupies a strategically important position between Central Asia and European markets. Their economic strengths are therefore complementary.
For Uzbekistan, deeper cooperation with Azerbaijan can provide additional opportunities to access international markets through the Caspian Sea and beyond. Azerbaijan’s ports, railways and logistics infrastructure can help connect Uzbek products with markets in the South Caucasus, Türkiye and Europe. For Azerbaijan, stronger ties with Uzbekistan offer access to one of Central Asia’s largest economies and create opportunities for Azerbaijani companies to expand their activities eastward.
This is where the Middle Corridor becomes particularly important. The development of the Trans-Caspian transport route has created new opportunities for countries along the route to strengthen trade and logistics links. Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan can benefit from this process not only as individual economies but also as partners within a broader Eurasian connectivity network.
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