Cholpon Ata Declaration: Moving Towards Strategic Cooperation Between Central Asia and Azerbaijan

The signing of the Cholpon Ata Declaration (whose official text is not available) has represented the most significant outcome of this meeting, expressing the joint commitment of the six heads of state to strengthen the political dimension of regional cooperation, as the leaders aim to expand cooperation beyond trade to include not only trade but also connectivity (transport and logistics) and energy, which appear to be the main strategic priorities to promote regional cooperation as well as the main areas of interest for external actors.

From this geopolitical perspective, Azerbaijan’s inclusion in this regional cooperation framework could create opportunities to advance connectivity and energy projects linking the shores of the Caspian Sea, thereby creating an east-west multimodal route (combining maritime and land transport) connecting Asian and European markets, namely the Middle Corridor project (R. Cutler, “Central Asia and Azerbaijan Extend Cooperation Across the Caspian”, Times of Central Asia, August 11, 2026). Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov highlighted that the declaration reflects the high level of mutual trust between the Central Asian states and Azerbaijan, their commitment to the principles of peace, good neighbourliness and sustainable development, as well as their desire to further expand regional cooperation (“Central Asia and Azerbaijan: Presidents sign Cholpon-Ata Declaration”, Kabar KG, July 31, 2026).

Overall, the Cholpon Ata Declaration represents another concrete step to cement this new era of cooperation based on political dialogue and shared interests among Central Asian states and Azerbaijan, given its geographical position as an energy and logistics hub as well as emerging investor in the region: during the meeting, Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan signed agreements covering transport, energy and trade, including the expansion of the Kyrgyz-Azerbaijani Development Fund from $100 million to $200 million, while Uzbek President Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev and Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov upgraded their relations by signing an allied relations treaty and other agreements on trade, investment, and cultural cooperation (O. Fisk, “When Is a Central Asian Leaders Summit Not a Summit?”, The Diplomat, August 12, 2026).  

Furthermore, both presidents paid particular attention to two strategic projects which will enhance bilateral cooperation while also potentially contributing to regional development: the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway corridor will open new opportunities to reach international markets, as a vital infrastructural component of the Middle Corridor architecture, while Uzbek and Kazakh involvement in developing Kambarata hydropower plant demonstrates a promising approach based on mutual understanding.

The upcoming official consultative meeting of the Heads of State will further deepen this regional cooperation format moving towards the creation of a common political agenda. Kazakh President Tokayev, on the one hand, already proposed to identify clear benchmarks to implement the Treaty of Friendship, Good-Neighbourliness and Cooperation for the Development of Central Asia in the Twenty-First Century.

On the other, all the actors supported the former initiative in different ways: only Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan originally signed the document proposed at the consultative meeting in 2022, while Tajikistan and Turkmenistan joined in the last two years. Azerbaijan’s potential inclusion could pave the way for transforming the six countries into a single geopolitical and geoeconomic space, as the Azerbaijani President stated after signing the Cholpon Ata Declaration (R. Cutler, “Central Asia and Azerbaijan Extend Cooperation Across the Caspian,” Times of Central Asia, August 11, 2026).