By Bosphorus News Geopolitics Desk
Azerbaijan took part as a full participant for the first time in an informal meeting of Central Asian leaders on July 31, when the six presidents adopted the Cholpon-Ata Declaration and discussed closer regional cooperation.
The meeting in the Kyrgyz resort city of Cholpon-Ata brought together Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
Azerbaijan was admitted as a full participant in the Consultative Meetings of the Heads of State of Central Asia at the group's seventh summit in Tashkent in November 2025. Its new status extends the format, previously limited to the five Central Asian republics, across the Caspian Sea to the South Caucasus.
Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said Azerbaijan's accession had moved cooperation to a "qualitatively new, macro-regional level," opening the way for a connected development area covering Central Asia, the South Caucasus and Afghanistan.
The leaders discussed economic growth, regional security and stronger transport and commercial links. Mirziyoyev called for closer contact between governments and sectoral agencies, improved coordination in Central Asia Plus formats and longer-term joint programs.
His proposals included expanded trade routes, cross-border industrial and technology chains, shared digital services and regional investment platforms. He also urged the countries to develop infrastructure linking artificial intelligence, data centers, energy capacity and human capital.
Azerbaijan's inclusion brings the Caspian crossing more directly into a regional process focused on connectivity and economic integration. The country provides Central Asian states with access toward Georgia, Türkiye and European markets, although the meeting produced no new Middle Corridor agreement or Türkiye-specific transport project.
The presidents also addressed water and energy security, environmental pressures and climate adaptation. Mirziyoyev said extreme summer heat had affected regional economies, public health and water and power systems, and called for coordinated measures.
The full text of the Cholpon-Ata Declaration was not immediately published by the participating presidential administrations. Uzbekistan's presidency said the document was adopted at the end of the meeting but disclosed no binding commitments, implementation dates or new institutional bodies.
Sources: Presidency of Uzbekistan, Presidency of Azerbaijan, Presidency of Kyrgyzstan, Bosphorus News review and reporting.