The Organization of Turkic States (OTS) today is not just an institution representing ethnic and cultural unity in the global political arena, but also acts as a strategic, economic, and technological regional power center. Since its inception, the informal summits of the OTS have become an indispensable platform for further strengthening trust, forming a security environment, and establishing multilateral strategic coordination in the Turkic world.
Today – May 15 – the next summit held in Kazakhstan will be remembered as the day when a new era in the history of the Turkic world, namely digital unity, will be announced. Aiming to keep pace with the technological innovations of the digitalizing world and to take leading positions globally in this field, OTS leaders are preparing a new digital "roadmap" for the welfare of future generations. The main discussion topic of the summit, "Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development," was not chosen by chance. This is a clear indication that integration processes have already entered a new, cybernetic, and innovative stage.
The far-sighted foreign policy and unwavering will of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev play an exceptional role in the OTS achieving its current institutional strength and international prestige. President Ilham Aliyev always emphasizes that our family is the Turkic world. Thanks to his leadership, Azerbaijan has become not just a participant within the OTS, but also the main driving force – the locomotive – that dictates the strategic goals of the organization and accelerates integration processes.
Ilham Aliyev's political foresight manifests itself not only in ensuring security in the region but also in strengthening the economic independence of Turkic states. The full restoration of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, the new geopolitical realities emerging in the region, and the reconstruction process of Karabakh have further cemented the unity of the Turkic world. The humanitarian, military-political, and economic initiatives put forward by the President within the framework of the OTS form the fundamental basis of the digital and technological future discussed at today's Kazakhstan summit.
Its geographical position and large-scale infrastructure projects have elevated Azerbaijan to the status of a geopolitical and geo-economic "bridge" among Turkic states. Azerbaijan is the heart of the safest and shortest route – the Middle Corridor (International Trans-Caspian Transport Route) – connecting Central Asian countries with Turkey, and thus Europe with Asia.
The steps taken by official Baku in this direction and the projects in which billions of dollars have been invested ensure the economic sovereignty of the OTS today:
Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway: A global artery that ensures the direct transportation of goods from Central Asia to Turkey and from there to European markets. Azerbaijan consistently continues to invest in expanding the capacity of this line.
Baku International Sea Trade Port (Alat Port): Alat port, the largest and most modern logistics center of the Caspian Sea, creates an effective ferry and multimodal transport chain with the ports of Central Asian states (Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan). The port expansion projects serve to significantly increase the internal trade turnover within the OTS.
By possessing the largest merchant fleet in the Caspian, Azerbaijan has minimized delays in East-West cargo transportation and ensured logistical security.
Without this powerful infrastructure formed by Azerbaijan, the integration of Central Asia's rich resources and trade potential with the West via Turkey could not have been so fast and independent today.
This year's summit in Kazakhstan once again proves that the OTS is not limited to classic transport and energy projects. The organization is now responding to modern challenges such as cybersecurity, joint space programs, digital customs corridors, and the application of artificial intelligence technologies. Integration processes will deepen further in the coming years, and this digital transformation will bind the internal markets of Turkic states more closely together.
The OTS is gradually transforming into a new multipolar power center that changes the global balance of power and creates a balance between East and West. This alliance, forming in the heart of Eurasia, is fully ready to leave its mark on the 21st century with its economic potential, young and dynamic population, and common vision for a digital future. On this great and honorable path, Azerbaijan, with its leader and strategic capabilities, is always at the forefront, as always.
