On September 11, round table on “Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan Relations: Regional Cooperation” was jointly organized by the Center of Analysis of International Relations (AIR Center) and the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Azerbaijan.
In his opening speech, the AIR Center Chairman Farid Shafiyev stated that the relations between the two countries have been progressively developing. According to him, establishing close cooperation with Central Asian countries is one of the priority directions of Azerbaijan's foreign policy.
Later, during his speech Kazakhstan's Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Alim Bayel stated that friendly and brotherly relations between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are strengthening at a very high pace and these relations have almost entered a new stage. According to him, all of this has been facilitated by high-level bilateral visits, mentioning that Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev visited Azerbaijan in October of last year, and Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev visited Kazakhstan in April of this year. The Ambassador mentioned that last year, the trade turnover between the two countries increased by 40 percent, reaching $450 million, and in the first six months of this year, this figure has already exceeded $300 million.
Azerbaijan's Ambassador to Kazakhstan, Agalar Atamoglanov, joined the conference in an online format and touched upon important agreements signed between the two countries in recent years. According to him, the significance of the Middle-Corridor is increasing, while capturing the attention of not only regional countries but also foreign investors. Agalar Atamoglanov also mentioned that the intergovernmental commission plays a vital role in Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan bilateral relations, and it is planned to hold the commission's next meeting online later this month. Furthermore, the Ambassador discussed the Zangezur corridor, stating that this route is one of the important branches of the Trans-Caspian project, and its opening will contribute to the prosperity of the entire region.
Speaking via video Aydos Sarim, deputy of the Kazakhstan Parliament also highlighted on the importance of the Trans-Caspian route during his speech. He pointed out that historical events have been unfolding in the region, leading to changes in the geopolitical structure of the region. Aydos Sarim stated that today, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan have reached the level of strategic partnership and cooperation, and Kazakhstan is currently paying significant attention to the development of transportation projects in the region.
Rasim Musabayov, member of the Azerbaijan Parliament, Zaur Mammadov, political analyst and lecturer at the Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and Rauf Agamirzayev, an expert in the transportation sector, discussed various topics during their speeches, including geopolitical relations, joint efforts against religious and ethnic radicalism, integration within the Turkic world, and regional projects.
The event concluded after the discussions.