Ankara, Türkiye
In his address, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized that the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) is a unique platform that strengthens the unity of the Turkic world.
“Our unwavering principle is respect for the sovereignty and national interests of our brotherly countries. The Turkic world remains united and is confidently moving together towards its shared goals. The theme of today’s meeting, ‘The Turkic Century: Unity in Language, Thought and Deed,’ is particularly significant. The Summit is being held in the year marking the 100th anniversary of the First Turkological Congress, which gives it special symbolic importance. A century ago, the intellectual elite of our brotherly nations gathered in Baku and united their efforts in pursuit of a common goal – preserving and enriching our spiritual unity. Remaining true to the legacy of our ancestors, we continue our joint efforts to strengthen the solidarity and consolidation of the Turkic peoples,” the Head of State said.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev highlighted the significance of the Alley of the Organization of Turkic States, established at the initiative of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
“I am confident that this Alley will become a symbol of our unbreakable brotherhood. As is well known, the geopolitical situation around the world continues to deteriorate. The situation in the Middle East, particularly the tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, is becoming increasingly serious. All this is having an adverse impact on global trade, economic and transport-logistics chains, including those connecting neighboring Turkic states. Kazakhstan strongly condemns the unjustified attacks by the Houthi armed movement against our brotherly Saudi Arabia. We support calls for an end to such unlawful actions,” the President stated.
According to the Head of State, Kazakhstan places particular emphasis on the key role of economic cooperation within the OTS.
“This year, Kazakhstan’s trade turnover with the member states of the Organization has approached 10 billion US dollars, representing a 40% increase compared to last year. To sustain this momentum, we need to take a number of steps. First and foremost, we must ensure the effective implementation of the Turkic World Vision 2040 programme. In this regard, it is important to accelerate the adoption of the Strategy of the Organization of Turkic States for 2027–2031. We support the comprehensive set of measures envisaged in the draft document to promote trade, investment, finance, industry, agriculture, digital technologies, education, science and other areas. It is essential that the five-year strategy being adopted focus on the implementation of concrete projects. To achieve this, we should make the fullest possible use of the opportunities offered by the Turkic Investment Fund. This institution has enormous potential, and all the necessary conditions must be created to unlock it. Furthermore, the capabilities of the Turkic Chamber of Commerce and Industry should be leveraged to deepen economic integration. During Kazakhstan’s chairmanship of this body, a number of events were held and important documents were prepared. To give further impetus to this work, we could host a business forum in our country in 2027. We also attach great importance to the activities of the OTS Council of Elders. We need to provide this body with financial and comprehensive support in other forms,” the President proposed.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev stressed the importance of making use of the “OTS Plus” format to further strengthen cooperation.
“To enhance the standing of our Organization, it would be both appropriate and fair to welcome Russia’s intention and invite it to join this format or participate in the activities of the OTS as an observer. As a major power, Russia has maintained close ties with the Turkic world for centuries. Representatives of many Turkic peoples have historically lived on its territory. Russia is currently promoting the ‘Altai – Cradle of Turkic Civilization’ project, which Kazakhstan supports. Many words in the Russian language have Turkic origins. Overall, Russia’s participation in our Organization as part of the Turkic family would benefit all our states,” the President said.
The Head of State went on to identify deeper cooperation in transport and logistics as one of the key priorities.
“The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route plays an important role in ensuring connectivity across the Turkic world. Over the first nine months of this year, cargo transportation along the Middle Corridor increased by 30%, while transit traffic grew by 90%. Rail freight transportation between Kazakhstan and the OTS member states rose by 10%, approaching 40 million tons. Road freight volumes increased by 20%, reaching 6.5 million tons. To expand Kazakhstan’s transit potential, we intend to implement a dedicated programme in our country. Overall, the modernization of logistics infrastructure and seaports along the Middle Corridor remains a priority for Kazakhstan. At the same time, other transport and logistics routes, including the North–South Corridor, the Belt and Road Initiative and other routes, also offer significant benefits and opportunities for our country,” Kassym-Jomart Tokayev noted.
The Head of State emphasized that digitalization and artificial intelligence development are imperatives of the present day.
“Our countries are actively pursuing large-scale digital transformation. Kazakhstan has set itself the goal of becoming a fully digital state. Substantial work is underway in this direction. This year has been declared the Year of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence in our country. The Alem.ai Artificial Intelligence Centre has been established in Astana. The Qazaq AI Research University has been launched to train specialists in artificial intelligence. A Data Centre Valley with a total capacity of 1 gigawatt is being developed. Two supercomputers have been launched, and a third high-performance supercomputer will soon become operational. The Digital Code and a dedicated Law on Artificial Intelligence have been adopted. We are ready to share our experience in this field with our brotherly Turkic countries, should the need arise. As you are well aware, at our meeting in Turkistan in May this year, we discussed prospects for the development of artificial intelligence and digitalization. A number of important initiatives are now being implemented following that meeting. In addition, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan have recently launched the Trans-Caspian fiber-optic communication line. The Turkic states will also be able to benefit from this unique project. At the same time, considerable work remains to be done in the shortest possible time. In particular, initiatives to establish a Cybersecurity Council, as well as digital monitoring and innovation centres, should be accelerated. These projects will undoubtedly contribute to further expanding our countries’ partnership in the digital sphere,” he emphasized.
According to the President, strengthening cultural and humanitarian ties traditionally occupies an important place on the agenda of multifaceted cooperation.
“Kazakhstan attaches particular importance to the study, preservation and promotion of the historical heritage of the Turkic peoples. At our meeting in Turkistan this year, I proposed establishing a Centre of Turkic Civilization and the ‘Mәңгілік ел’ (Eternal Nation) Centre, aimed at promoting Steppe Civilization. Preparatory work is currently underway. We believe it is essential to accelerate the adoption of the Convention on the Preservation of the Heritage of Turkic Civilization. Furthermore, work is continuing in our country on the fundamental seven-volume publication, ‘History of Kazakhstan from Ancient Times to the Present Day’. We express our sincere gratitude to representatives of the academic communities of Turkic countries who are actively contributing to this project. This scholarly work will make it possible to examine historical events comprehensively, objectively and impartially from a scientific perspective,” Kassym-Jomart Tokayev noted.
The Head of State highly commended the activities of institutions affiliated with the OTS.
“At the initiative of the Turkic Academy, a number of publications dedicated to our shared historical and cultural heritage have been released. These include the three-volume edition ‘Sacred Geography of the Turkic World’ and the five-volume catalogue ‘Ancient Turkic Inscriptions’. In addition, the 25-volume ‘Dictionary of Modern Turkic Languages’ has been published. These works represent a significant achievement of Turkic scholars. The Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation has developed the international digital platform Turkic Heritage. This unique electronic resource is designed to facilitate an in-depth study of the history, literature and cultural traditions of the Turkic world. Altai undoubtedly holds a special place in our shared history. This year, Kazakhstan hosted the international festival ‘Altai – the Golden Cradle of the Turkic World’ at a high level. By decision of ICESCO, the sacred city of Turkistan will become the Cultural Capital of the Islamic World in 2027. As part of this initiative, we plan to organize major events aimed at preserving the spiritual unity and continuity of Turkic civilization. An international Khoja Ahmed Yasawi Forum dedicated to literature and language will be held. A meeting of museum professionals from the Turkic and Islamic worlds will also take place. We invite members of the academic community to take an active part in these events,” Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said.
The President of Kazakhstan underscored the need to give priority to strengthening the institutional framework of the Organization of Turkic States.
“In recent years, the scope of the OTS’s activities has expanded considerably, now encompassing 60 different areas. At the same time, it is evident that certain functions overlap. Therefore, we need to identify the key areas of our joint work. Overall, our tasks and priorities must be clearly structured. I would also like to stress that violations of agreements signed at the highest level within our Organization are unacceptable. I also consider it important to reiterate the need to establish a Council of Permanent Representatives under the OTS. At the high-level meeting in Turkistan in May this year, I stated that the Organization of Turkic States is not, and must never become, a military alliance. This is Kazakhstan’s position,” Kassym-Jomart Tokayev stated.
In concluding his address, the Head of State recalled the Kazakh proverb, “Береке – бірлікте, ырыс – ынтымақта” (“Prosperity lies in unity, and abundance in solidarity”), emphasizing the importance of consolidating efforts to achieve common goals.
“I am confident that today’s meeting will give fresh impetus to the activities of the OTS and contribute to further strengthening our cooperation. In this regard, I would like to particularly acknowledge the invaluable contribution of Azerbaijan, which has chaired the Organization since last year, to enhancing its international standing. I express my gratitude to the Azerbaijani side. The chairmanship now passes to Türkiye. I am confident that new initiatives will be implemented within the Organization in the period ahead. I would like to thank Mr. Kubanychbek Omuraliev for his dedicated work and wish every success to the new Secretary General, Mirvohid Azimov. I once again express my gratitude to the President of the Republic of Türkiye for hosting the Summit at the highest level. May the unity of the Turkic peoples grow ever stronger!” the President of Kazakhstan concluded.
The Summit also featured addresses by President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov, and OTS Secretary General Kubanychbek Omuraliev.
The 13th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States concluded with the adoption of the Ankara Declaration.
