Khiva hosts first inter-parliamentary forum between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan

Today, on July 1, the First Uzbekistan-Azerbaijan Inter-Parliamentary Forum began its work in the ancient and beautiful city of Khiva.

Held under the theme “Towards New Opportunities: From Dialogue to Joint Action,” this high-level event aims to further deepen the strategic partnership between the two countries and elevate inter-parliamentary dialogue to a qualitatively new stage. The forum is taking place on the eve of the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan, adding even greater significance to the occasion.

The forum gathers members of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan, the Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan, and representatives of both countries’ youth parliaments.

As emphasized during the event, the relationship between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan has always been rooted in shared historical, cultural, and spiritual values. These ties have been strengthened by mutual respect, friendship, and fraternal bonds between the peoples. In this context, the personal involvement of the two nations’ leaders plays a decisive role.

The forum was opened by Chairperson of the Senate of Uzbekistan’s Oliy Majlis, Tanzila Narbayeva, who noted in her speech:

“The First Uzbekistan-Azerbaijan Inter-Parliamentary Forum is not only a historic milestone but also an important platform for taking our inter-parliamentary cooperation to a new level. We must fully leverage existing opportunities and establish an Inter-Parliamentary Commission to elevate bilateral relations. This forum is a vivid testament to Uzbekistan’s foreign policy course focused on openness, friendship, and sustainable development.”

In turn, Speaker of the Azerbaijani Milli Majlis, Sahiba Gafarova, stated:

“Today, we are opening a new chapter in inter-parliamentary cooperation based on the political will of our heads of state and built on the foundation of friendship and fraternity between our nations. I believe our parliaments, in this new format, will give impetus to the deepening and comprehensive development of interstate relations.”

She also highlighted the forum’s focus on a crucial cross-cutting issue of legislation, business, and economics — namely, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and improving the investment climate in both countries. These are not only economic matters but are also directly linked to social stability, and solving them is among the key responsibilities of the parliaments.

The forum will also discuss expanding the activities of friendship groups, elevating them to the level of inter-parliamentary commissions, developing joint legislative initiatives, supporting youth-led projects, and strengthening cooperation in priority areas such as the economy, education, healthcare, digital transformation, and environmental protection.

Additionally, a proposal was made to establish a mechanism for experience-sharing between regional representative bodies (mahalla councils in Uzbekistan and municipalities — belediyye — in Azerbaijan). This is seen as a key step toward enhancing inter-parliamentary cooperation and improving the effectiveness of different approaches to socio-economic development. The initiative aims to foster the exchange of knowledge and experience among local legislative bodies, implement new perspectives and methods in solving problems, and create favorable conditions for positive changes in every region.

Panel sessions to be held within the forum framework will focus on these goals. Topics include the role of parliaments, oversight of law implementation, improving the business and investment climate, digital reforms, cultural and tourism cooperation, environmental protection, and the role of women and youth in society.

In summary, the forum is not only an important platform for inter-parliamentary dialogue but also a significant event that will help define the future prospects of shared development and enrich bilateral cooperation with practical content.

At the conclusion of the forum, it is planned to adopt the Khiva Declaration, aimed at further strengthening strategic partnership, expanding bilateral cooperation in priority areas, and improving the legal foundations for the effective implementation of joint initiatives.