Azerbaijan and Central Asian countries are aiming to increase regional trade to $20 billion while developing joint production under the “Made in Central Asia” brand, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov said at the CAMCA 2026 Regional Forum in Baku. Over the years, we have become part of this regional architecture,” Jabbarov said. The minister noted that the political dimension of these ties deepened after Azerbaijan became a full participant in the Consultative Meeting format of Central Asian heads of state in Tashkent in November 2025.
Jabbarov also pointed to the first meeting of trade and investment ministers from Azerbaijan and Central Asian countries, held several days ago, as another step toward greater economic integration. According to Jabbarov, Azerbaijan has already established joint investment funds with Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, creating mechanisms to combine several mid-sized markets into a broader investment platform. Thus, Azerbaijan and the Central Asian countries are forming a unified economic space that connects, on one side, Türkiye and Europe, and, on the other, Asia,” he said.
Trans-Caspian fiber-optic link nearing launch The expansion of regional economic ties is increasingly extending beyond traditional trade and transport infrastructure into digital connectivity. Jabbarov announced that the Trans-Caspian Fiber-Optic Cable Line connecting Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan is expected to become operational in less than a month. The line is expected to go into operation in less than a month,” he stated.
The minister emphasized that modern regional corridors should no longer be viewed solely through the movement of physical cargo, as energy and digital connectivity are increasingly becoming integral components of the emerging East-West infrastructure network. Under the Trans-Caspian Fiber-Optic Cable Line project implemented by AzerTelecom and Kazakhtelecom, a 380-kilometer subsea fiber-optic cable has been laid between Sumgayit in Azerbaijan and Aktau in Kazakhstan. The first subsea digital route across the Caspian Sea is expected to provide high-speed connectivity with capacity exceeding 400 terabits per second, facilitating large-scale data exchange and supporting the development of digital services across the region.
The cable is a key component of the broader “Digital Silk Way” project. Spanning Azerbaijan, Georgia, Türkiye, Kazakhstan and Bulgaria, the telecommunications corridor is designed to provide a shorter, high-capacity route with minimal latency for data transmission between Asia and Europe while strengthening regional digital cooperation. New connectivity opportunities after peace Jabbarov also linked the changing political environment in the South Caucasus with emerging economic and transport opportunities.
According to him, the Zangezur Corridor is expected to directly connect mainland Azerbaijan with the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and eventually integrate with the infrastructure of the Middle Corridor. Thanks to this, we see how connectivity is transforming from an aspiration into bankable projects,” Jabbarov emphasized. The development would add another dimension to the growing network of transport links connecting Central Asia with the South Caucasus and onward toward Türkiye and European markets.
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