President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov concluded his two-day state visit to Azerbaijan on Tuesday, wrapping up a program that highlighted the growing strategic partnership between the two Caspian nations and underscored their expanding cooperation in energy, transport, trade, and cultural affairs.
The visit, held at the invitation of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, featured high-level talks in Baku, the signing of a broad package of bilateral agreements, symbolic gestures of friendship, and visits to the cities of Fuzuli and Shusha.
During negotiations at the Zagulba Palace, the two presidents reaffirmed the strategic nature of Turkmen-Azerbaijani relations, describing them as rooted in shared history, culture, linguistic affinity, and common values. The leaders signed a Joint Statement and oversaw the conclusion of numerous agreements covering industrial cooperation, foreign policy coordination, agriculture, food security, healthcare, customs statistics, sports, labor, and social protection.
Energy and transport emerged as central themes of the discussions. The two sides signed a framework intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the oil and gas sector and expressed readiness to expand collaboration in electricity generation and transmission, including the prospect of future electricity exports from Turkmenistan to Azerbaijan.
The presidents also discussed strengthening East-West transport corridors and reviewed the development of multimodal routes linking Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye, as well as transport connections between the Caspian and Black Seas. Both sides emphasized the importance of enhancing the work of the Turkmen-Azerbaijani intergovernmental commission to accelerate practical cooperation.
One of the most notable moments of the visit was the formal transfer of the newly built oil tanker “Dostluk” to Turkmenistan as a gift from Azerbaijan. Constructed at the Baku Shipyard, the vessel has a deadweight capacity of 7,875 tonnes. The transfer ceremony, conducted with the participation of both presidents, was widely viewed as a symbol of the deepening friendship and partnership between the two countries.
The tanker’s name echoes the offshore Dostlug oil and gas field in the Caspian Sea, which became a landmark symbol of bilateral cooperation after the two countries agreed in 2021 to jointly develop the previously disputed resource.
The second day of the visit began in the city of Fuzuli, where Presidents Berdimuhamedov and Aliyev reviewed the construction progress of a mosque being built as a humanitarian gift from the Turkmen people to Azerbaijan. The project was launched during the summit of the Organization of Turkic States held in Gabala in October 2025.
Funded by the charitable foundation named after Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the mosque complex is designed to accommodate 500 worshippers and includes facilities for religious gatherings and ritual ablutions. The project is intended to symbolize the cultural and spiritual ties linking the two nations.
Following the visit to Fuzuli, the two presidents travelled to Shusha, regarded as Azerbaijan’s cultural capital. There they inspected urban development projects, visited cultural and historical sites, and toured an exhibition dedicated to Azerbaijan’s national leader Heydar Aliyev and the history of Karabakh.
At the scenic Jidir Duzu plain, Azerbaijani horsemen presented a demonstration featuring the renowned Karabakh horse breed. In a gesture described as reflecting the enduring friendship between the two nations, President Aliyev presented President Berdimuhamedov with a Karabakh horse.
The visit also included ceremonial events in Baku, where President Berdimuhamedov laid wreaths at the Victory Memorial and at the grave of Heydar Aliyev before attending an official reception.
Commenting on the significance of the visit, Azerbaijani parliamentarian Samir Valiyev described the trip as an important milestone in strengthening ties between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan and in advancing cooperation among Turkic states.
According to Valiyev, relations between Azerbaijan and the countries of Central Asia have entered a new stage, with Turkmenistan emerging as one of Baku’s most dynamic regional partners. He argued that closer cooperation between the two countries would further enhance Azerbaijan’s role in the Middle Corridor linking Europe and Asia.
The parliamentarian also highlighted the strategic importance of bilateral cooperation in the energy and transport sectors, noting that both countries occupy key positions along Eurasian transit routes and possess substantial energy resources. He said the growing political dialogue, frequent high-level exchanges, and expanding network of agreements demonstrate the broad potential for future cooperation.
Valiyev further suggested that evolving geopolitical conditions are creating new opportunities for collaboration among Turkic states, particularly in transport, logistics, and energy connectivity, reinforcing the importance of Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan as pivotal actors in the wider Eurasian region.
President Berdimuhamedov departed Azerbaijan on 23 June, with President Aliyev personally seeing him off at Fuzuli International Airport, bringing to a close a visit that both sides portrayed as opening a new chapter in Turkmen-Azerbaijani relations and strengthening their shared vision for regional connectivity and cooperation across the Caspian region. /// nCa, 24 June 2026