Dear Shavkat Miromonovich,

Dear Brother,

I am delighted, both personally and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan, to extend my heartfelt congratulations to you and, through you, to the entire brotherly nation of Uzbekistan, along with my best wishes on the occasion of September 1st – Independence Day.

Under your decisive leadership and multifaceted efforts, Uzbekistan has made significant strides on the path of socio-economic development, achieving remarkable successes and accomplishments. This is a testament to your tireless work, the deep trust your people have in the state policies you lead, and their support for these policies. We take great joy in the achievements of your brotherly country, its economic progress, and its growing influence in both the region and the world, and we are proud of it.

The recent state visit I made to your beautiful country has given new momentum to the development of Azerbaijani-Uzbek relations. I greatly appreciate your determination to further deepen our bilateral cooperation, and I am confident that we will swiftly realize the plans we discussed.

It is a matter of pride to note that Azerbaijani-Uzbek relations, built on a strong foundation of friendship and brotherhood, are steadily advancing and being enriched with new dimensions. The expansion and deepening of our bilateral relations in all areas are based on strong political will, mutual trust, and confidence.

The important agreements reached through intensive mutual visits and high-level meetings, the new partnership directions outlined, and the numerous signed documents are clear evidence of the comprehensive development of our strategic partnership on an upward trajectory.

I am confident that we will successfully continue our joint efforts to further strengthen the friendship and brotherhood between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, and to expand our cooperation.

On this festive day, I wish you good health, happiness, success in your noble and responsible endeavors, and continuous peace, prosperity, and well-being to the brotherly people of Uzbekistan.

Sincerely,

Ilham Aliyev

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Baku, 29 August 2024