A limited-format meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of State was held on October 9 in Turkmenbashi, Turkmenistan.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev addressed the meeting.

Speech by
President Ilham Aliyev

- Dear Serdar Gurbangulyyevich.

Dear colleagues.

First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to the esteemed President of Turkmenistan for his traditional hospitality.

I wish esteemed Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev great success during Uzbekistan’s chairmanship of the CIS in 2027.

Every visit to Turkmenistan leaves deepest impressions. One can see how dynamically the country is developing, and the achievements of brotherly Turkmenistan bring us sincere joy. Relations between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan are based on centuries-old bonds of friendship and brotherhood and have the character of a strategic partnership.

We note with satisfaction the intensity of high-level contacts between our countries.

In August 2025, I visited Turkmenistan; last year, Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Myalikgulyyevich Berdimuhamedov visited Azerbaijan twice; and in June of this year, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Gurbangulyyevich Berdimuhamedov paid a state visit to our country. These contacts have provided additional impetus to bilateral relations and opened new opportunities for expanding cooperation across many fields.

This year, the Commonwealth of Independent States marks its thirty-fifth anniversary. Over the past years, the CIS has established itself as an essential platform for maintaining political dialogue, developing mutually beneficial cooperation, and strengthening ties between our countries.

The humanitarian cooperation is one of the key areas. I would like to express my gratitude to the CIS heads of state for supporting the decision to declare the city of Lachin the Cultural Capital of the Commonwealth. The large-scale events held in Lachin last year allowed our guests to become more closely acquainted with the rich and ancient history of this region. Our guests were able to witness firsthand its rapid revival, as well as the scale of the ongoing restoration work.

A landmark sporting event for the entire Commonwealth was the successful hosting of the Third CIS Games in Azerbaijan. The competitions were held in seven cities across our country. Thousands of athletes and guests from CIS member states, as well as from other countries around the world, gained a deeper understanding of our country and its people during the 11 days they spent in Azerbaijan. Such large-scale initiatives extend far beyond the realm of sports. They serve as a strong bridge of friendship between nations.

Thanks to its advantageous geographical location, our country has built modern transport and logistics infrastructure practically from the ground up. Azerbaijan consistently strengthens its position as one of the region’s key transport hubs, ensuring reliable transit along the North-South and East-West international corridors.

In the first half of 2026, the volume of transit cargo through Azerbaijan increased by 10 percent, reaching nearly 8 million tons. Our medium-term goal is to increase the volume of cargo transported through Azerbaijan along both the East-West and North-South routes to 15 million tons on each corridor.

Dear colleagues, I would like to express my gratitude for supporting the decision on Azerbaijan's co-chairmanship of the CIS in 2027. We regard this as evidence of the high level of trust placed in our country and are ready to actively participate in the implementation of common tasks. Azerbaijan is also ready to assume the CIS chairmanship in 2028 and organize the meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of State in the autumn of that year. Thank you for your attention.