Kazinform: Economic pragmatism, cultural kinship between Baku-Astana PHOTO

Ahead of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s state visit to Kazakhstan, Kazinform news agency published an article titled “Astana and Baku: Economic pragmatism and cultural kinship,” exploring the strategic ties between the two countries. Caliber.Az reprints a slightly abridged version of the article. 

“Strategic partnership

Over 33 years of diplomatic relations, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan have built a strong and comprehensive partnership covering almost all areas of development. Their cooperation grows stronger every year, supported by a solid legal framework with more than 170 agreements, including treaties, memorandums, and protocols.

The two countries work together both bilaterally and through international organizations such as the UN, the OTS, the CIS, and the OSCE. The foundation of their relations is the 2005 Treaty on Strategic Partnership and the 2022 Declaration that set the course for deeper strategic ties and closer alliance.

Dynamic dialogue

In 2025, the presidents of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan maintained an active and productive dialogue at the highest level. Bilateral cooperation, regional security, trade, and joint projects were discussed during phone calls between Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Ilham Aliyev on May 17 and August 10.

They also met in person at international and regional events. On January 13–14, the two leaders held talks in Abu Dhabi during Sustainability Week, focusing on environmental issues, green energy, and digital transformation.

On May 20–21, they met again in Budapest at the informal Summit of the Organization of Turkic States to exchange views on regional integration and joint economic initiatives.

On October 6–7, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev took part in the 12th official OTS Summit in Gabala at the invitation of Ilham Aliyev. Discussions centered on modernizing transport and logistics corridors, expanding cooperation in energy and digital technologies, and coordinating efforts among Turkic states on the international stage.

Trade and investment on the rise

Trade between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan continues to grow steadily. According to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan, bilateral trade reached 547.6 million dollars in the first eight months of 2025, more than triple the figure for the same period last year.

Kazakhstan’s main exports remain wheat, with 570.4 thousand tons worth 121.5 million dollars from January to August, and oil and oil products worth 38.2 million dollars. This reflects stable demand for agricultural and energy goods. For comparison, total trade turnover in 2024 was 533.4 million dollars, slightly below the 2023 record of 556.7 million.

Business ties are also expanding. Around 1500 companies with Azerbaijani capital operate in Kazakhstan, while nearly 150 Kazakh enterprises are registered in Azerbaijan.

Investment cooperation remains positive despite some fluctuations. From 2005 to the first quarter of 2025, Azerbaijani investment in Kazakhstan reached 424.6 million dollars, including 3.8 million in the first three months of this year. Over the same period, Kazakhstan invested 156 million dollars in Azerbaijan, including 32.6 million in 2024.

These figures confirm both countries’ commitment to deepening economic cooperation and developing joint investment projects.

Transit and oil exports

Kazakhstan’s transit and export flows are expanding rapidly, especially along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route. In the first seven months of 2025, 2.6 million tons of cargo were moved through this corridor, up 2 percent from the same period last year. Container traffic showed the sharpest increase, nearly doubling to 40,200 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit).

The corridor’s growth has been remarkable. Over the past five years, cargo volumes have grown sixfold, from 0.8 million tons in 2020 to 4.5 million tons in 2024. The 2025 target is 5.2 million tons, including 70,000 TEU. Kazakhstan’s main exports along this route are oil and oil products, metals, chemicals, and grain. Imports and transit flows include consumer goods, food, vehicles, and equipment.

Exports of Kazakh oil through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan route are becoming increasingly important. Since November 2022, KazMunayGas and Azerbaijan’s state company SOCAR have been jointly shipping oil along this route. Volumes are rising steadily: more than 1 million tons in 2023, 1.4 million in 2024, and about 0.9 million in the first eight months of 2025.

By 2027, annual exports through this route are expected to reach 7 million tons. The Baku-Supsa pipeline is also being considered as an additional option. Analysts note that the choice of routes and shipment volumes will depend on commercial viability and infrastructure readiness.

Digital and energy corridors

Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan are advancing two major infrastructure projects with regional and international significance.

The first is the Aktau Sumgait submarine fiber optic cable. The 380 kilometer line will run along the Caspian seabed, providing an alternative high speed route to connect Kazakhstan to the global internet and to support data transit between Europe and China. The system’s capacity will exceed 400 terabits per second.

By 2025, all preparatory work was completed, including surveys, coastal preparations, and equipment testing. Construction is set to begin in 2026, with a total cost of more than 22 billion tenge.

The second strategic project is a deepwater power cable linking the energy systems of Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan. It will be part of a green corridor for exporting renewable energy to Europe. Installation is on schedule, and commissioning is planned for the second quarter of 2026.

Both projects reflect close cooperation between the two countries and highlight the region’s growing strategic importance in the digital and energy sectors.

Tourism, defense, and security

Tourism between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan has been growing steadily. According to KazakhTourism, more than 102,000 Azerbaijani tourists visited Kazakhstan in 2024, up from about 59,000 in 2022. Over the same period, the number of Kazakh tourists traveling to Azerbaijan rose from 24,000 to 71,500.

This year, the two countries intensified military and technical cooperation with more than 20 joint activities. In February, Kazakhstan hosted Deputy Defense Minister of Azerbaijan Agil Gurbanov and former defense advisor Bakhtiyar Ersay.

In June, the two sides held Caspian Breeze 2025 naval exercises in the Caspian Sea, and Azerbaijani cadets took part in the Aibyn youth gathering.

In July, Azerbaijan hosted Tarlan 2025 drone unit exercises, while joint air force drills were held at the Saryshagan test site.

Starting this academic year, Kazakh servicemen began studying at the Heydar Aliyev Military Institute, marking a deeper exchange of experience and training between the two countries.

Cultural bridge between Astana and Baku

Cultural ties between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan have been growing steadily and are becoming an important part of bilateral relations. The two countries regularly hold cultural days, film festivals, exhibitions, gala concerts, and theater performances that help introduce their national traditions and contemporary art to wider audiences.

One symbolic event was Kazakhstan’s donation of books to libraries in Karabakh. Kazakhstan also built a Center for Children’s Creativity in the city of Fuzuli. Streets in Baku and Sumgait were named after prominent Kazakh cultural and scientific figures, and commemorative events were held to honor anniversaries of Abai Kunanbayuly, Zhambyl Zhabayev, and other notable Kazakh personalities.

Educational and scientific cooperation is also expanding. Student exchanges, joint conferences, research centers, exhibitions, and round tables are held on a regular basis. In March, universities of the two countries signed 40 memorandums of understanding, and an education fair in Baku brought together representatives of 23 Kazakh universities.

Kazakh culture is increasingly resonating with Azerbaijani audiences. In 2025, a month of Kazakh cinema in Baku featured films such as Dos Mukasan, Scammers, Kazakh Khanate, and Diamond Sword, attracting strong public interest.

Joint projects in art, cinema, ethnography, and tourism are also growing, strengthening cultural ties between the two countries and boosting Azerbaijani interest in Kazakh heritage,” the article reads.