OTS: A unified Turkic family as a geopolitical reality Key takeaways from the Bishkek Summit

The main geopolitical outcome of the 11th summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), held in Bishkek under the slogan "Empowering the Turkic World: Economic Integration, Sustainable Development, Digital Future and Security for All," was the reaffirmation of the organisation's growing significance in the context of the emerging new world order. This is particularly evident in the strengthened unity among its member states, reflected in their cooperation across various platforms.

A guiding thread for this vision can be found in the remarks made by Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev during his inaugural speech on February 14, 2024. It was at that time that media outlets worldwide took note of the priority expressed by the Azerbaijani leader to continue his efforts aimed at strengthening the Organization of Turkic States, which he identified as Azerbaijan's principal international organisation. "Because it is our family. We have no other family. Our family is the Turkic world," President Aliyev declared.

The significance of President Aliyev’s statement lies in the fact that, in his inaugural speech, he broadened the concept of "family" to a wider sense, emphasizing the importance of nurturing a generation that would always remain " faithful to national traditions and moral values," with a particular focus on "family education," which he considered "primary education for every young person and child."

While President Aliyev's remarks were made in the context of Azerbaijani society, their relevance extended significantly to the Organization of Turkic States (OTS). The president highlighted the organisation's considerable military, economic, and transport-natural potential, noting the growing young population within the OTS. He emphasized that " peoples from the same roots," and asserted that there is no stronger unity than this. He called on the member states of the OTS to work "together" to transform the organisation into "an important actor and power centre in the global arena," emphasizing that "we can only achieve this together."

As a result, the Garabagh Declaration, adopted at the informal OTS summit in Shusha in July, proclaimed the Turkic world as a "family based on common ethnic roots, history, language, culture, traditions and values of the Turkic peoples," committed to the ideas of " peace, security, stability and development and prosperity in the region and in the world." The 11th summit of the heads of state of the OTS, held in Bishkek, clearly demonstrated how the course outlined by Azerbaijan's President in February 2024 and supported by the organisation's members in Shusha, has been effectively developed and implemented.

In his speech in Bishkek, President Aliyev, following his expression of gratitude to Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Hungary for "the school and the creativity centre, as well as for the schools to be built in the liberated territories," emphasized that, in light of the growing global threats, " our cooperation in defence, security, and the defence industry is of tremendous importance." He further highlighted that the "military exercises are held with the participation of the armed forces of our countries" and the training of "cadets from brotherly countries at our military educational institutions " serve as a "sign of mutual trust and friendship." Naturally, Aliyev also addressed the topic of the "East-West" transport corridor, specifying Azerbaijan's increased investments "to raise the transmission capacity " of the route. He also discussed the ongoing projects to digitize the Middle Corridor and simplify trade, aiming to improve logistics efficiency and reduce costs.

In general, similar ideas (in various forms) were echoed by other participants of the forum. Almost all speakers highlighted the emergence of new centres of conflict and war, leading to various challenges. In this context, Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev deemed it essential to "continue the systematic dialogue on policy and security issues," noting that "practical cooperation within the framework of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) creates broad opportunities to strengthen our positions in the rapidly changing world and to prevent various threats." He then proposed adopting a "Treaty on Strategic Partnership, Eternal Friendship, and Brotherhood of Turkic States." At the same time, President Mirziyoyev emphasized the need to activate the Turkic Investment Fund and establish the Turkic Development Bank, suggesting that international financial institutions should be involved in regional projects. Additionally, he proposed the development of a Concept for a Digital Turkic World.

In turn, Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, emphasizing how the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) has "quickly become an authoritative structure, strengthening its status on the global stage," stated that this achievement was "due to our unbreakable unity and solidarity." He also called for the full utilization of the "Middle Corridor," which holds "strategic importance for the further economic development of the Turkic world." Additionally, the Kazakh president highlighted the need for the "modernization of Turkic civilization" through the effective use of human resources, particularly by creating opportunities to unlock the potential of talented youth.

Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Japarov also voiced his readiness "to actively participate in strengthening cooperation on security issues," emphasizing the necessity of improving "mechanisms for joint counteraction to new security threats facing OTS member states." An important part of this, he noted, should be "strengthening joint measures to combat terrorism, extremism, and transnational crime." In harmony with other leaders, the Kyrgyz president expressed hope for "the support of brotherly countries" in the implementation of the conceptual document "Turkic Green Vision: Unity for a Sustainable Future," identifying cooperation in the cultural and humanitarian sphere as a key priority.

Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, referring to the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) as a platform that "strengthens stability in Eurasia," drew attention to the proposal made by Ilham Aliyev at the Shusha summit regarding the appointment of a "Special Representative for the effective use of the Middle Corridor." In this regard, Erdoğan expressed Türkiye's readiness to take on this role. Additionally, Erdoğan voiced hope for the consolidation of "Azerbaijan's historic achievements at the negotiating table through the signing of a peace treaty."

During the 11th OTS summit, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was awarded the "Supreme Order of the Turkic World" for his significant contribution to strengthening the unity of the organisation's member states. In his address, Orbán thanked the forum participants and announced Hungary's readiness to contribute $100 million to the development of the OTS's activities. He emphasized that Hungary not only attracts investments into its own economy but also contributes to the development of the economies of the OTS member states. Highlighting that Hungary's trade turnover with the OTS countries has exceeded $5 billion, the Hungarian Prime Minister particularly focused on the importance of directing joint efforts "towards energy and defence." As he put it, "We receive natural gas from Türkiye and Azerbaijan, even though they are not our neighbours."

Thus, as we can see, all OTS member states are aligned on virtually identical positions, whether in the areas of security and defence, economy, or cultural and humanitarian issues. As a result of the summit, several documents were adopted, including the Bishkek Declaration. The heads of state of the OTS member countries also signed several memorandums, including one on mutual understanding regarding the development of the Greater Turkic Language Model for the OTS, among others.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that the chairmanship of the OTS is being passed to Kyrgyzstan, which will hold it under the slogan: "Empowering the Turkic World: Economic Integration, Sustainable Development, Digital Future and Security for All."