Relations between Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan have a rich historical past. Azerbaijani and Kyrgyz people are connected with close ties thanks to history, language, religion, culture and traditions. Azerbaijanis and Kyrgyz are united by their Turkic-speaking peoples and religious identity. Both nations were ruled from one centre during the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union. Economic and cultural ties developed between the two republics during the Soviet period. After the collapse of the USSR and emergence of independent states in the post-Soviet space, these relations were further developed.

About 20 thousand Azerbaijanis live in Kyrgyzstan. The majority of Azerbaijanis living in Kyrgyzstan are expelled from Azerbaijan during the repression of 1930s and their children. Representatives of the Azerbaijani diaspora in Kyrgyzstan are actively involved in business, economics and other areas of the country. There are many Azerbaijanis among well-known surgeons, businessmen of the country.

On 31 March 1991, Kyrgyzstan declared its independence. Diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan was established on January 19, 1993.

In December 1993, during a meeting of The Council of heads of CIS there was held a bilateral meeting between President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev and the President of Kyrgyzstan Askar Akayev in Turkmenistan. The presence of a solid foundation as a common customs, culture, religion and language to strengthen relations between the two countries was stressed during the meeting.

On November 11, 1996, there was signed a Protocol on Cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic.

On April 23, 1997, President of Kyrgyzstan Askar Akayev made his first official visit to Azerbaijan at the invitation of the President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev. The Presidents discussed a number of issues of mutual interest at the meeting. During the visit of President of Kyrgyzstan, there was signed a Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between Azerbaijan and the Kyrgyz Republic, the agreement on cooperation between the Ministry of Justice of Azerbaijan Republic and the Ministry of Justice of the Kyrgyz Republic, the agreement on cooperation in tourism, agreement between the Higher Attestation Commission of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Higher Attestation Commission under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan on cooperation in the field of certification of scientific and scientific and pedagogical personnel of the highest qualification, agreement on Promotion and Mutual Protection of Investments, agreement on cooperation in the field of protection of industrial property, agreement on production cooperation and the agreement on cooperation between the two states in the field of pension insurance.

On September 7-8, 1998, President of Kyrgyzstan Askar Akayev attended the international conference in Baku on restoration of the historical Silk Road within the TRACECA program. “The main multilateral agreement on international transport for development of the Europe-Caucasus-Asia corridor” and the technical annexes to this document were signed at the conference.

On 26 March 1999, an “Agreement between the Ministry of National Security of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of National Security of the Kyrgyz Republic on Cooperation and Interaction” was signed in Baku.

President of Kyrgyzstan Askar Akayev took part in the Sixth Summit of Heads of Turkic-speaking States, held in Baku on 8 and 9 April 2000, as well as in the events marking the 1300th anniversary of the epos Kitabi-Dede-Gorgud.

On April 1, 2002, Kyrgyzstan appointed Honorary Consul in Azerbaijan. According to the Order of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic dated the 24th of October 2014, the Kyrgyz Republic established its Embassy in the Republic of Azerbaijan.

On June 1, 2004, minister of Defense of Kyrgyzstan E.Topoyev was on an official visit to Baku. “Agreement on cooperation in military field between Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan” was signed during the visit. 

On 2 October 2006 a law of the Republic of Azerbaijan on establishing the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Kyrgyz Republic (in Bishkek) was passed. On 11 October 2007 the Embassy started its activity.

Chairman of Jogorku Kenesh (Parliament) of the Kyrgyz Republic, Akhmatbek Keldibekov made an official visit to Azerbaijan on 3 July, 2011.

President of the Kyrgyz Republic Almazbek Atambayev paid an official visit to Azerbaijan on 29-31 March 2012.  During this visit, agreements covering various spheres were signed.

On 23 April 2012 an “Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Culture between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Kyrgyz Republic” was signed.

On 13 June 2014, a delegation led by the chairman of the Jogorku Kenesh (Parliament) of Kyrgyzstan, Asilbek Jeenbekov visited Azerbaijan.

The President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, was on official visits to the Kyrgyz Republic on the 16th of September 2016 and 3rd of September 2018.

On 20 April 2022, during the official visit of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Sadyr Japarov, to the Republic of Azerbaijan, a number of documents were signed between the two states.

President Ilham Aliyev paid a state visit to the Kyrgyz Republic on 11-12 October 2022. Within the framework of the visit, the opening ceremony of the Kyrgyz-Azerbaijani Friendship Park and the educational complex of the Heydar Aliyev School-Gymnasium No. 20 was held in Bishkek at the expense of the Azerbaijani government.

The Working Group for Azerbaijan-Kyrgyzstan Inter-Parliamentary Relations operates in the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan. And the Kyrgyz-Azerbaijani Friendship Group for Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation operates in the Jogorku Kenesh (Parliament) of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The current level of diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan serves not only the interests of these two brotherly states, but also the integration between the member states of the Organisation of Turkic States.

Recommended literature:

1. Azərbaycan Respublikasının xarici siyasətinin əsas istiqamətləri: 1991-2016: [məqalələr toplusu] / F. Məmmədov [et al.] ; red.: F. Məmmədov, C. Vəliyev, A. Məmmədov ; Azərbaycan Respublikasının Prezidenti yanında Strateji Araşdırmalar Mərkəzi. - Bakı : Poliart MMC, 2017. - 904 s.
2. Quliyev, Elman Hilal oğlu. Türk xalqları ədəbiyyatı : dərslik / E. H. Quliyev ; elmi red. H. Ə. Qasımov ; rəy. B. Ə. Nəbiyev [et al.]. - Bakı : Conatant empary, 2011. - 568 s.
3. Ruintən, Sevinc Fərrux qızı. Azərbaycan Türk dövlətləri ilə siyasi əlaqələr sistemində: XX əsrin 90-cı illəri /S. F. Ruintən ; elmi red. Ə. Muxtarova. - Bakı: Adiloğlu, 2005. - 212 s.
4. Bağımsızlığının 30. yılında Kırgız Cumhuriyeti: Dış politika ve uluslararası ilişkiler.: Editor B. A. Pala ; Tasarım S. Köse. - Ankara: Astana, 2021. - 203 s.