On July 4, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan took part in the 17th summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), which was held in Khankendi under the chairmanship of the President of Azerbaijan.
The summit was attended by heads of state and government of SCO member states, including Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, as well as representatives of Afghanistan, international organizations, and business circles of the region.
The participants discussed prospects for deepening multilateral cooperation and exchanged views on key issues on the international and regional agenda.
At the beginning of his speech, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev outlined the current challenges to security and sustainable development, reaffirmed his commitment to the peaceful settlement of conflicts, and stressed the importance of a just settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli issue. Among the new initiatives put forward are:
• Adoption of the concept of “Strategic Goals of Economic Partnership – 2035,” which focuses on digitalization, innovation, and artificial intelligence.
• Holding a meeting of trade ministers on ECO issues in Tashkent to discuss strategic issues and prepare an agreement on trade facilitation.
• Creation of a system of “green corridors” for the rapid exchange of information and unhindered trade in agricultural products.
• Development of a long-term Ecoinvest program to stimulate private and international investment in sustainable projects in the region.
• Forming alternative transport corridors, in particular, developing the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway with further connection to the Trans-Afghan Corridor.
• Accelerating the creation of a Digital Transport and Customs Office to coordinate the digitalization of logistics.
• Holding an ECO national airline forum in Samarkand to stimulate air transport, tourism, and marketing cooperation in the aviation sector.
• Developing a roadmap for expanding tourism services aimed at doubling tourist flows within the ECO.
• Creation of a cross-border “green program” for the restoration of ecosystems in desert areas with an emphasis on afforestation and the development of recreation.
• Preparation of proposals for reforming the EAEU to enhance its effectiveness and authority in the international arena.
In conclusion, the President of Uzbekistan expressed his confidence that the summit would give new impetus to economic cooperation and open a stage of meaningful transformation of regional partnership.
Full text of the speech by the President of Uzbekistan
On Tuesday, official events were held at the Intercontinental Hotel in Kyiv to mark the 107th anniversary of the proclamation of independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Among the guests were representatives of the Verkhovna Rada, the government, the diplomatic corps, and expert and business circles of Ukraine.
Greeting those present, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Azerbaijan to Ukraine Seymur Mardaliev called May 28 “a day that marks the birth of an independent nation rich in history, culture, and resilience.” In his speech, he drew a historical parallel between the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic of 1918 and the modern state:
“Exactly 107 years ago, on May 28, 1918, with the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was founded — the first parliamentary democracy in the entire Muslim East. The ADR was created on the principles of freedom, equality, and national self-determination. It was not only a bold manifestation of our people’s right to statehood, but also an innovative example of democratic governance in the East,” he said.
The ambassador emphasized that although the ADR existed for only 23 months, it left a deep mark on the history of Azerbaijan.
“This experience of independent statehood became an important part of national identity when Azerbaijan regained its independence in 1991 and proudly proclaimed itself the successor to the ADR. The Azerbaijani tricolor, national anthem, and coat of arms reflect the legacy of this historic republic,” Seymour Mardaliev emphasized.
He highlighted the successes in the field of clean energy, mentioning the launch of the Southern Gas Corridor, the development of the Black Sea submarine cable project, and the national “green growth” strategy, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2050.
“Today, under the wise and far-sighted leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan is a sovereign, democratic country that is successfully implementing the ideals of the ADR through effective governance, dynamic human capital development, and active foreign policy. We are experiencing the most successful period in our history,” the ambassador emphasized.
Speaking about the partnership with Ukraine, Mardaliev emphasized the strategic nature of bilateral relations. He also mentioned the recent political consultations between the two countries, including the visit of Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga to Azerbaijan.
“Azerbaijan and Ukraine have traditionally strong ties based on mutual respect, trust, and support for each other’s territorial integrity. Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Azerbaijan has been actively providing humanitarian aid, which has already reached a total of US$42 million. And we are ready to continue our support. Azerbaijan supplies energy equipment, finances the reconstruction of social infrastructure facilities in Irpin, and provides fuel for emergency services through SOCAR Ukraine. In February this year, President Aliyev signed a decree on additional aid to Ukraine in the amount of US$1 million. We also support humanitarian demining, in particular by supplying equipment and training specialists,” he said.
In his speech, Mardaliev also touched upon Azerbaijan’s achievements in the environmental sphere and at the global level:
“Azerbaijan has voluntarily committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2050, and Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur are being transformed into green energy zones. We are actively working on transregional energy projects, in particular the Black Sea submarine cable project, which will allow us to export ‘green’ energy to Europe,” he said.
Special attention was paid to the issues of recovery and peace in the South Caucasus. The speech included messages about Baku’s desire for lasting peace in the region. In particular, Mardaliev noted the achievements in direct negotiations with Armenia, emphasizing the need to conclude a peace agreement.
“We have begun unprecedented restoration work in the liberated territories and at the same time strive to achieve a just and lasting peace with Armenia. Azerbaijan clearly states: it is time to turn de facto peace into de jure peace. We want to live in peace as two sovereign states within internationally recognized borders,” the ambassador emphasized.
At the end of his speech, Mardaliev called for unity and thanked the Ukrainian side for its partnership.
“Dear friends, I am sincerely grateful to each of you for being with us today, for supporting Azerbaijani-Ukrainian ties and deepening the friendship between our countries. Together we are stronger. Glory to Azerbaijan! Glory to Ukraine! Glory to Azerbaijani-Ukrainian friendship!” he concluded.
On May 28, 1918, the independence of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR) was proclaimed in Tbilisi — the first secular republic in the Muslim East. The ADR existed until April 1920, when Bolshevik troops established control over its territory. In 1991, after the collapse of the USSR, Azerbaijan regained its independence. May 28 is celebrated annually as the main national holiday — Independence Day.
AZERBAIJAN, CAUCASUS, INTERNATIONAL_RELATIONS, SEYMOUR_MARDALIEV, UKRAINE
The first stage of major repairs to a city polyclinic damaged during the Russian occupation of 2022 has been completed in Irpin, Kyiv region. The reconstruction was carried out with financial support from the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR). The Azerbaijani Embassy in Ukraine also contributed to the restoration.
The first stage included major repairs and insulation of the facades and roof, replacement of windows, and renovation of the entrance areas. The SOCAR Blago Charitable Foundation allocated 60 million hryvnias for this work.
The second stage of the clinic’s restoration, also financed by SOCAR, involves the construction of a shelter, the installation of a fire alarm system, and ventilation. The overhaul of the clinic is scheduled to be completed by the end of this year.
Earlier it was reported that the city of Irpin had already been 80% restored after the destruction caused by hostilities in the spring of 2022.
Azerbaijani-Ukrainian diplomatic relations were officially established on February 6, 1992, after Azerbaijan recognized Ukraine’s independence. During Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in March 2022, the Azerbaijani embassy in Kyiv temporarily suspended its work, but resumed operations on April 30, 2022.
SOCAR (State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic) is Azerbaijan’s state-owned oil and gas company, founded in 1992. Its headquarters are located in Baku. SOCAR extracts oil and natural gas onshore and offshore in the Caspian Sea, operates the country’s only oil refinery and gas processing plant, and operates several export oil and gas pipelines.
SOCAR began operations in Ukraine in 2009. Today, the SOCAR network in Ukraine has more than 60 gas stations in various regions of the country, including Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, Kharkiv, Dnipro, and other cities.
https://interfax.com.ua/news/diplomats/1068732.html
Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan have completed their first cross-border freight transportation using the new e-Permit system.
The system allows for the issuance and exchange of permits in a fully digital format, aiming to increase efficiency and reduce processing times for international road freight transport.
The first batch, including a truck from an Uzbek transportation company, arrived in Azerbaijan under the e-Permit system. This marks a step forward in the digitalization of cross-border transportation procedures between the two countries.
AZERBAIJAN, cross-border transportation, digital system, electronic permits, UZBEKISTAN
On November 13, as part of the COP29 summit, a ceremony was held to sign the Agreement on Strategic Partnership in the Development and Transmission of Green Energy between Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.
In his speech at the event, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized that renewable energy is not an economic goal, but a contribution to the future, the result of a sense of responsibility to future generations.
The environmental importance of the project was particularly emphasized. The energy to be transmitted is wind and solar energy, a renewable and clean resource that will reduce the impact on the climate.
Thus, the parties support joint efforts to protect the climate under the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals.
It was noted that the signatory countries, having significant renewable energy resources, can make a significant contribution to the global energy transition.
Touching upon the efforts of Uzbekistan to develop a green economy, the Leader of Uzbekistan focused on the key aspects of large-scale work in this direction.
It was noted that about two gigawatts of solar and wind generation capacity is being commissioned annually in the country. In addition, an additional 2.6 gigawatts of renewable generation and 300 megawatts of energy storage systems will be connected to the grid by the end of this year.
By 2030, it is planned to increase the share of renewable energy sources to 40 percent, as well as to create 4.2 gigawatts of energy storage systems.
It was expressed that the economic effect of this project will be felt by all its participants.
The importance of accelerating the project implementation, including the establishment of a joint venture, development and approval of technical documentation and other procedures, was emphasized.
In conclusion, President Mirziyoyev reaffirmed Uzbekistan’s commitment to the joint implementation of this regional project.
In the first three quarters of 2024, Ukraine exported 12.6 thousand tons of frozen cattle meat, which is 20.3% less than in the same period last year.
This is evidenced by the data of the State Customs Service.
Revenue from exports of these products decreased by 18.9% compared to January-September 2023 – to $50.9 million.
Azerbaijan (37%), China (27.8%) and Uzbekistan (9.7%) bought the most Ukrainian frozen cattle meat during the first nine months of 2024.
