On July 2, Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Ali Asadov met with Deputy Prime Minister of Afghanistan Abdul Ghani Baradar to discuss bilateral cooperation and regional initiatives on the sidelines of the 17th Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Summit in Khankandi, Karabakh.

During the meeting, both sides underscored the significance of the ECO Summit in fostering regional collaboration. Prime Minister Asadov highlighted that since joining ECO in 1992, Azerbaijan has actively supported initiatives aimed at enhancing regional cooperation, particularly through economic, energy, and transport projects that benefit all member states.

The two officials discussed strengthening cooperation in the economic, trade, transit, and humanitarian fields. They also exchanged views on advancing joint efforts within the Azerbaijan-Uzbekistan-Afghanistan trilateral cooperation framework, identifying areas of mutual interest for future collaboration.

Separately, on July 2 in Baku, Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elnur Mammadov met with Deputy Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Mohammad Naim Wardak.

During their meeting, the officials discussed cooperation between Azerbaijan and Afghanistan across economic, trade, transit, diplomatic, humanitarian, and consular sectors, highlighting the importance of deepening bilateral relations. Elnur Mammadov expressed gratitude for Afghanistan's clear support of Azerbaijan’s position during the recent conflict.

The discussion also covered the significance of the 17th ECO Summit, which the Afghan delegation was set to attend. Wardak thanked Azerbaijan for the invitation to participate in international events, stressing that such initiatives foster dialogue and mutual understanding among countries. The officials also exchanged views on current regional developments.

Prior to the Taliban takeover, Azerbaijan maintained diplomatic relations with the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, actively contributing to NATO's Resolute Support Mission. For nearly two decades, Azerbaijani troops were stationed in Kabul, and Baku invested in trade, humanitarian aid, and cultural cooperation with the country.

Since then, Azerbaijan has pursued a cautious policy. While refraining from official recognition of the Taliban government, it has maintained low-level contacts through regional forums such as the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). From 2022 to 2024, Azerbaijan included Afghanistan in discussions on future East-West connectivity initiatives, like the Middle Corridor and the Lapis Lazuli Route, acknowledging its potential as a transit hub if stability can be restored.

As of mid-2025, Azerbaijan continues to withhold official recognition of the Taliban administration but engages pragmatically when necessary via multilateral platforms, including the ECO, OIC, and discussions on Turkic cooperation hosted by Ankara.