On July 3, at the invitation of Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the President of Kazakhstan and the current Chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Ilham Aliyev, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, arrived in Astana to attend the SCO Summit.

Meeting with Vladimir Putin

During the visit, President Aliyev met with Vladimir Putin, the President of the Russian Federation. 

Putin emphasized the positive development of their relations, particularly in trade and economic cooperation. He highlighted that their trade turnover exceeded 4 billion dollars, with direct Russian investments in Azerbaijan's economy amounting to 4.5 billion dollars. He noted a 13 percent growth in the first half of the year and mentioned plans in the field of infrastructure, specifically the North-South corridor. Putin also discussed energy and industrial cooperation opportunities based on an agreement signed at the end of 2022. He remarked on the humanitarian aspect of their relations, citing the recently concluded Days of Russian Culture in Azerbaijan and the significant presence of Russian language education in Azerbaijan, with over 300 schools teaching Russian.

During the meeting, President Putin expressed readiness to continuously support the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan and to advance the peace agenda. They discussed this topic and exchanged views on cooperation in transportation, shipbuilding, pharmaceuticals, and the automotive industry, including the organization of production in Azerbaijan by various Russian car manufacturers. They also noted an increase in Russian tourists visiting Azerbaijan and the operation of the Russian Drama Theater in Azerbaijan.

President Aliyev acknowledged the frequent meetings between the two leaders, underscoring the successful resolution of many issues. Aliyev noted the growth in trade turnover and the increase in mutual settlements in national currencies. He appreciated Putin's recognition of the strong humanitarian cooperation between their countries, highlighting the large number of students pursuing education in Russian.

Aliyev also discussed the North-South project, noting positive developments and Azerbaijan's commitment to expanding the corridor's infrastructure. He mentioned new ideas in the energy sector and ongoing contacts between relevant entities. Aliyev referred to the 2022 declaration of the alliance, emphasizing its successful implementation and the good results of their allied cooperation over the past two years.

Meeting with Kassym-Jomart Tokayev

On July 3, Ilham Aliyev met with Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. 

During the meeting, Tokayev expressed his pleasure at seeing President Aliyev at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit and supported Azerbaijan's potential full membership in the SCO. He praised Aliyev as an outstanding leader and acknowledged the interest with which Kazakhstan followed Azerbaijan's transformations. Tokayev also expressed gratitude for Aliyev's agreement to host negotiations with Armenia in Kazakhstan, noting the success of the first negotiations held in Almaty.

President Tokayev reiterated Kazakhstan's readiness to support Azerbaijan's full membership in the SCO and congratulated Azerbaijan for hosting COP29. He expressed confidence in Azerbaijan's ability to organize this prestigious event successfully.

President Aliyev recalled Tokayev's state visit to Azerbaijan as historic and expressed gratitude for Kazakhstan's initiative to help restore liberated territories. He highlighted the positive momentum in their discussed and agreed-upon areas, particularly in transportation infrastructure and the Trans-Caspian transportation route. Aliyev emphasized the importance of this topic in both the current SCO event and the upcoming informal summit of the Organization of Turkic States in Shusha.

President Aliyev emphasized that joint efforts were underway to implement agreements reached during President Tokayev's visit to Azerbaijan. He noted that their cooperation in the Organization of Turkic States was a priority and praised Kazakhstan's development and international standing under Tokayev's leadership, offering his congratulations.

Both leaders discussed various initiatives, including the achievements related to the Middle Corridor, the importance of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Joint Investment Fund, and the implementation of specific projects. They also touched upon cooperation in the humanitarian field, noting the successful Days of Kazakh Culture in Azerbaijan and the upcoming Days of Azerbaijani Culture in Kazakhstan in September.

A ceremony to exchange the Shareholders Agreement signed between "Azerbaijan Investment Holding" and "Sovereign Wealth Fund "Samruk-Kazyna" Joint Stock Company with the participation of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was held in Astana.