How Central Asia quietly expands its horizons westward
Azerbaijan’s entry into the Central Asian Consultative Meeting could transform the grouping into a more coherent and self-reliant framework in which energy, security, cultural ties, and diplomatic coordination mutually reinforce regional autonomy. Energy aggregation would be central to this shift.
April 21, 2026 -
Ioseb Dzamukashvili Sekhniashvili
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AnalysisIssue 3 2026Magazine
On November 16th 2025, during a consultative meeting of Central Asian heads of state, Azerbaijan formally joined together with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in a new effort. With this step, the Central Asian Consultative Meeting – widely known as the C5 – effectively evolved into the C6. Although the decision initially appeared procedural, its geopolitical significance may prove substantial. For the first time, the region’s consultative framework has extended beyond Central Asia’s traditional boundaries to include a South Caucasus state that anchors the western shore of the Caspian Sea and serves as a key gateway towards Türkiye and Europe.
The timing of Azerbaijan’s accession was particularly notable, coming only months after the second Central Asia-China summit held in Astana in June 2025. This sequence highlights how regional institutional developments are increasingly intertwined with broader Eurasian connectivity agendas. The emergence of the C6 strengthens the so-called Middle Corridor – the shortest overland route linking western China with Europe. This corridor has gained strategic relevance as an alternative to Russia-centred transit networks in the context of the Kremlin’s ongoing war against Ukraine. More broadly, Baku’s inclusion points to deeper structural trends: the gradual institutionalization of regional coordination, the consolidation of multi-vector foreign policies among participating states, and the widening scope for diversified engagement by external actors across Eurasia.
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