Astrakhan Region’s key international partners are the Caspian States and the CIS.
Astrakhan Region maintains cooperation with the governments of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, as well as bordering regions of Kazakhstan and the provinces of Iran. The Governor of Astrakhan Region Igor Babushkin met with the presidents of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, and communicates with his colleagues from the Caspian regions on the day-to-day basis.
Consular offices of Iran, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan operate in Astrakhan, as well as representative offices of the Russian Foreign Ministry and the Russian-Iranian Business Council at the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which is a true recognition of the special role the region plays in Russia's interaction with the Caspian States.
Among the main areas of cooperation with partners from the Caspian States` are such economic spheres as trade, shipbuilding, agriculture. Special attention is paid to boosting cargo traffic in the North-South transport corridor and the capacity utilization of the region’s transport and logistics potential. The Astara –Baku – Astrakhan railway line delivers goods from Turkey, Iran and Azerbaijan to Russia. A port special economic zone is being set up in close proximity to the port of Olya.
Ships and technical facilities for the extraction and transportation of both oil and fish were built at Astrakhan shipyards by the orders from the Caspian States. A series of dredgers for Kazakhstan for dredging and extraction of non-metallic materials has been recently delivered by Astrakhan-based shipbuilders.
Partners from the Caspian States invest in the development of port infrastructure, agriculture and industry in the region, setting up logistics centers, and also participating in foreign economic activities.
In recent years, the Government of Astrakhan Region has implemented numerous joint projects with its Caspian partners. Iran’s Trading House and Azerbaijan’s Business Center have been launched in Astrakhan, and a branch of the Iranian bank is operating in Astrakhan. In turn, Astrakhan Region launched its business center in Baku in 2021.
Humanitarian projects are being successfully implemented. Thanks to the joint efforts with Kazakhstan, the Kurmangazy Regional Cultural Center was opened in Altynzhar village of the Volodarsky district. A municipal school №11 was reconstructed by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, a kindergarten, a bridge celebrating the friendly ties between Astrakhan Region and Azerbaijan, and a monument to the Prince Vladimir the Baptist were erected in the region. Turkmenistan built a school in the village of Funtovo of the Privolzhsky district.
The city of Astrakhan is decorated with monuments to public and cultural figures of the peoples of the Caspian States: Makhtumkuli Fragi, Kurmangazy Sagyrbayev, Omar Khayyam, Heydar Aliyev. All of these monuments were donated to the region.
Astrakhan-based universities maintain close contacts with partners from all the Caspian States. At the moment, more than 5 thousand foreign students are being trained at Astrakhan’s higher and secondary education institutions, with over 3 thousand of them coming from the Caspian countries. The headquarters of the Executive Directorate of the Association of State Universities and Research Centers of the Caspian States, which has been operating since 1996, is located in Astrakhan with Astrakhan State Technical University.
Much attention is paid to cooperation in tourism. Cruise tourism can be a promising integration project for the entire Caspian. The Government of Astrakhan Region has engaged in a discussion with its colleagues from the Caspian States regarding this project.
A large number of Caspian-wide events has received permanent residence in Astrakhan. The Caspian Media Forum, the International Classical Art Festival "Caspian Seasons", the Caspian Scientific Educational Congress, the scientific forum of oil and gas "Caspian Sea is the Sea of Success" and others are held here on a regular basis.
Within the framework of stepping up cooperation with the CIS, in addition to cementing ties with Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, contacts are maintained with the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Republic of Moldova.
Cooperation with Belarus is being implemented under the Agreement between the Government of Astrakhan Region and the Government of the Republic of Belarus on cooperation in trade and economic, scientific and technical, social and cultural and humanitarian spheres. Astrakhan agricultural products, including fish and processed products, wool and early potatoes, are supplied to the Belarusian market. Supplies of household appliances, furniture, shoes, textile and food products have been arranged from Belarus to Astrakhan market. Fairs of Belarussian goods are regularly held in Astrakhan. In order to service Belarussian agricultural machinery, which is widely used by Astrakhan farmers, a specialized center of the Minsk Tractor Plant has been set up in the region.
Recruitment of labor resources from Uzbekistan on a regular basis has an important role to play in developing agriculture in Astrakhan Region. Apart from that, a large number of Uzbek nationals are trained at the regional universities. In 2020, a branch of Astrakhan State Technical University was inaugurated in the capital city of Tashkent, training specialists for the country’s economy and ecology.
In June 2021, on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, an agreement was signed between the Government of Astrakhan Region and the Executive Committee of Gagauzia, Autonomous Territorial Unit of the Republic of Moldova, on trade, economic, scientific, technical, humanitarian and cultural cooperation. The main vector of cooperation is stepping up agricultural collaboration.