Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan leaders took significant steps at their summit in Baku to elevate their relations to a strategic partnership level. Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Sadyr Japarov announced they had moved cooperation to a new stage by signing an interstate alliance agreement.
The two countries decided to double the capital of the Azerbaijan-Kyrgyzstan Joint Investment Fund, a concrete indicator of economic cooperation. Aliyev announced that the fund's capital had been raised to $200 million, adding, "I believe this figure is not the limit either."
Aliyev noted that alliance relations carry great responsibility, saying, "We will continue to support each other on international platforms, in the trade and economic sphere, and in strengthening security." The Azerbaijani leader also invited Japarov for an official state visit to his country.
Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov described the signed alliance agreement as a historic turning point in bilateral cooperation. Japarov stressed that regular contacts and mutual trust would further consolidate this relationship.
During the summit, bilateral documents were also signed in numerous areas including energy, transportation, cybersecurity, education, financial market regulation, and the circulation of precious metals. Japarov said that Bishkek and Baku would continue to coordinate their positions and support each other in line with mutual interests.