Central Asian leaders and Azerbaijan deepen regional format in Cholpon-Ata

The presidents of the five Central Asian states and Azerbaijan held an informal consultative meeting on 31 July 2026 in Cholpon-Ata, on the shores of Lake Issyk-Kul in Kyrgyzstan. Hosted by Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, the gathering brought together Kazakhstan’s Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Uzbekistan’s Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Tajikistan’s Emomali Rahmon, Turkmenistan’s Serdar Berdimuhamedov and Azerbaijan’s Ilham Aliyev.

The leaders signed the Cholpon-Ata Declaration, reaffirming their commitment to peace, good-neighbourliness and sustainable development. Discussions focused on practical cooperation in transport and logistics connectivity, energy security, investment, industry, climate adaptation and humanitarian ties. Particular attention was paid to major regional projects such as the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway and the Kambar-Ata-1 hydropower plant.

Kazakh President Tokayev underlined that Central Asia is experiencing its most successful period in modern history thanks to growing mutual trust. He highlighted the completion of the signing process for the Treaty on Friendship, Good-Neighbourliness and Cooperation for the Development of Central Asia in the 21st Century – a document first advanced by Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan and later joined by Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. Tokayev proposed the next step: drawing up and adopting a concrete Plan of Action with clear benchmarks to turn the treaty’s provisions into long-term practical cooperation.

Azerbaijan’s participation as a full member – formalised at the previous meeting in Tashkent in 2025 – was repeatedly described as opening a new stage. Tokayev noted that Baku’s inclusion creates conditions for deeper political dialogue, expanded investment and energy cooperation, and the development of a unified transport and logistics system spanning Central Asia and the South Caucasus. Intra-regional trade continues to grow, joint ventures are being established and cultural and educational exchanges are intensifying.

Significance of the format

The Consultative Meetings of the Heads of State of Central Asia, launched in 2018 in Astana, represent one of the most successful examples of regional self-organisation in the post-Soviet space. Initiated and consistently promoted with strong input from Kazakhstan, the format deliberately excludes external powers and focuses on pragmatic, trust-based cooperation among the five states. Over the years it has helped resolve border issues, boost trade and coordinate positions on the international stage – most recently illustrated by regional support for Kyrgyzstan’s successful bid for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council.

Azerbaijan’s full membership transforms the original “C5” into a broader “C6” configuration that links Central Asia more firmly to the Caspian and the South Caucasus. This expansion increases the region’s geopolitical and geoeconomic weight, strengthens the Trans-Caspian transport corridor (also known as Middle Corridor) and offers new avenues for energy and connectivity projects. The institutionalisation of the format, including Turkmenistan’s current chairmanship and the next formal meeting scheduled for October 2026 in Avaza, signals a shift from occasional dialogue toward more structured regional coordination.

Opening to South Korea

The consolidation of the Central Asia-Azerbaijan format coincides with another outward-looking development: preparations for the first-ever Central Asia-Republic of Korea Summit, expected in Seoul in September 2026. Building on a dialogue mechanism that dates back to 2007, the leaders’ meeting will elevate relations with South Korea to summit level and focus on trade, critical minerals, energy, digitalisation, infrastructure and technology. For a region seeking diversified partnerships and value-added investment, closer engagement with Seoul complements the internal strengthening of the consultative format and reflects Central Asia’s growing confidence in shaping its own external relations.

A significant community of ethnic Koreans – the Koryo-saram, descendants of those deported from the Soviet Far East to Central Asia in the late 1930s – still numbers over 100,000 in Kazakhstan. Having lived in the country for generations, they have long acted as a natural bridge for people-to-people contacts, business links and cultural exchange, helping to underpin the steady growth of bilateral cooperation between Astana and Seoul.

Caption: The presidents of the five Central Asian states and Azerbaijan held an informal consultative meeting on 31 July 2026 in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan. [Akorda, website of the President of Kazakhstan]