Presidents of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan share their views on economic strategy and geopolitics

Baku recently hosted a UN-led regional economic conference, bringing together leaders from SPECA-participating countries in Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Azerbaijan.

 Euronews correspondent Galina Polonskaya spoke to the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to ask them about regional economic strategies, as well as relations with neighbouring countries. 

President Aliyev credits Azerbaijan’s growth to reforms, poverty reduction, and foreign debt management. Kazakhstan aims for 5% growth, with President Tokayev putting an emphasis on international cooperation, investments, and a commitment to doubling its economic potential by 2029. 

President Aliyev highlighted Azerbaijan’s gas exports to Europe and its contribution to Europe’s energy security and investments in the green energy sector. President Tokayev said he sees Kazakhstan’s energy business as vital, adding the country is aiming for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2060. 

President Tokayev said Russia is a “strategic partner of Kazakhstan” and acknowledged the country’s importance in the region. 

He added that “despite some upheavals in the international arena Kazakhstan and Russia will be continuously working together.”

 Addressing the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, President Aliyev outlined “five basic principles” that he said would form the basis for a peace agreement with Armenia, including “mutual recognition of each other’s territorial integrity” and “no use of force, no territorial claims to each other.”

Presidents of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan share their views on economic strategy and geopolitics.