On October 1–10, Head of the Center for Energy Diplomacyand Geopolitics Khayotjon Ibragimov and Head of the Center for Strategic Connectivity Nargiza Umarova made a working trip to Azerbaijan and Georgia. The purpose of the visit was to expand professional contacts with scientific, educational, and analytical centers in both countries, as well as to exchange views on the prospects for strengthening trade, economic, transport, logistics, and energy ties.

Meetings were held in Baku and Tbilisi with representatives of the academic and expert communities, at which issues of interregional cooperation, the development of transport routes along the Central Asia-South Caucasus-Europe axis, the potential of the Middle (Trans-Caspian) Corridor, as well as areas of investment and energy cooperation, including green energy. Special attention was paid to the coordination of infrastructure projects and the exchange of experience in the field of strategic communications.

On October 2, a round table discussion entitled “Azerbaijan-Uzbekistan Expert Dialogue: Strategies, Challenges, Solutions” was held in Baku as a joint initiative of the IAIS and the STEM Analytical Center. Hayotjon Ibragimov presented a report on Uzbekistan's new energy strategy and prospects for cooperation with the countries of the South Caucasus. Nargiza Umarova, in turn, spoke about the potential of trans-Central Asian transit corridors in the southern and western directions. During the discussion, participants exchanged views on ways to expand trade and investment and agreed that the strategic partnership between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan creates a basis for the joint implementation of priority logistics and energy projects.

As part of the program, the delegation visited the international seaports of Baku (Alyat) and Poti, familiarized themselves with the capabilities of terminal infrastructure and logistics connectivity for the transit of goods from Central Asia to Europe. The visits confirmed mutual interest in developing practical cooperation in the field of logistics and energy.

The parties agreed to continue the exchange of experts, consider the preparation of joint analytical materials, and hold thematic round tables and seminars. Following the trip, areas for further development of initiatives to strengthen interregional transport and energy connectivity were identified.