AKIPRESS.COM - In recent years, the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) has established itself as one of the most dynamically developing regional blocs globally. Today, member states cooperate in over 40 areas, ranging from foreign policy and trade to energy, digital integration, green economy, space, and artificial intelligence. The true strength of the OTS lies not in numbers, but in its greatest asset—its historical ties, linguistic and cultural kinship, and traditional unity. This is not just a partnership, but a genuine brotherhood. These values form the foundation of trust, solidarity, and robust cooperation, OTS Secretary General Kubanychbek Omuraliev stated.
New Cooperation Platforms and First Results
The decisions adopted at the 11th Summit in Bishkek in November 2024, held under the motto "Strengthening the Turkic World: Economic Integration, Sustainable Development, Digital Future, and Security," as well as the Concept and Action Plan of the Kyrgyz Republic's Chairmanship, have laid the groundwork for conducting over 120 high-level meetings and events over the past nine months. Kyrgyzstan's chairmanship period has opened new chapters in the Organization's history: high-level meetings and councils have provided fresh impetus to member state cooperation.
One of the key events was the first-ever meeting of the Heads of Government of OTS member states, held in Bishkek in September 2025. The agenda included issues of trade, investment, transport, energy, agriculture, and digitalization. The necessity of this meeting was driven by the growing number of OTS activities in recent years and the need for timely and effective implementation of decisions made at the Summits. The meeting resulted in a Joint Statement that outlined goals for deepening trade and investment cooperation, increasing private sector participation, and solidifying the progress achieved during Kyrgyzstan's chairmanship.
Significant meetings were also held concerning the economy, finance, security, intellectual property, and the green economy. The first-ever meetings of Central Bank Governors, Financial Intelligence Units, Defense Industry Enterprises, and Intellectual Property agencies took place. Additionally, the Council for Green Finance of the Turkic World and the first Assembly of the Union of Turkic Countries' Insurers were organized.
This year also saw the creation of the Advisory Platform of Central Election Authorities of Turkic States (APCEA), with its inaugural meeting held in the spiritual center of the Turkic world, the city of Turkestan.
Special attention was given to the socio-humanitarian dimension. Events included the First Forum of Turkic States' Sports Volunteers in Gabala (Azerbaijan) and the Turkic States' Red Crescent Volunteer Camp in Istanbul.
Each of these initiatives confirmed the effectiveness and activity of Kyrgyzstan's chairmanship, strengthening the country's leadership role in regional cooperation and laying the foundation for the OTS's future integration and economic projects.
Traditional Formats and Accomplishments
The Organization's traditional meeting formats have remained relevant and have been enhanced with new ideas.
Agriculture has always been a priority for Kyrgyzstan. A meeting of Agriculture Ministers was held in Cholpon-Ata in June 2025, resulting in the signing of a Joint Communiqué and the approval of a Strategic Cooperation Roadmap in the Agrarian Sector. The city of Cholpon-Ata was declared the Agrarian Capital of the Turkic World for 2025–2026. A Turkic Entrepreneurs' Agro-Forum was also held, where officials, business leaders, and investors from member and observer states discussed new projects.
Other agricultural initiatives are being implemented in Kyrgyzstan. With support from Hungary and through the Institute for Drought Prevention, which operates under the OTS Representative Office in Budapest, major projects for forest restoration and reclamation of degraded lands were launched in the Batken region.
During the chairmanship, initiatives in the fields of public administration and security were actively promoted. A meeting of Human Resource Development Agency heads was held in Issyk-Kul, and a gathering of Muslim Spiritual Directorates and a meeting of Security Council Secretaries took place in Bishkek.
New initiatives in tourism, sports, and youth policy have strengthened interconnections and deepened the integration of member states.
The status of "Tourism Capital of the Turkic World," established in 2021, has quickly become a significant platform, opening up wide opportunities for cultural and tourism cooperation among Turkic countries. While cities like Kokand, Shamakhi, and Turkestan previously held this title, in 2025, the city of Jalal-Abad was awarded the honor. This initiative was proposed by President Sadyr Japarov at the 10th Summit in Astana in 2023 and unanimously supported by other leaders, given the city's recent architectural reconstruction and vital tourism development projects.
As a "Tourism Capital," Jalal-Abad hosted an International Tourism Forum on September 15–16, 2025, which contributed to promoting the region on the global stage, strengthening partnerships, and expanding tourism cooperation.
Winter tourism has also received attention. The First Turkic Skiers' Cup in Uzbekistan and the First Summit of the Union of Turkic Ski Resorts in Shakhdag, Azerbaijan, on July 12, focused on sustainable development and strengthening regional cooperation in mountain tourism. Furthermore, the "Unified Ski Pass" project is being implemented, which links the ski resorts of member states and allows tourists to use multiple resorts with a single card.
Other important projects to develop tourism are also underway. These include the "Unified Museum Ticket," which allows tourists from member states to visit museums in OTS countries at prices set for the local population, and the "Turk ID" initiative, which will allow citizens of Turkic countries to use national ID cards instead of passports when crossing OTS borders.
Cooperation in the field of sports and youth policy has also reached a new level. The III Turkic Universiade was held in Cholpon-Ata on September 4, attracting over 500 student-athletes and coaches competing in wrestling, futsal, volleyball, judo, table tennis, and chess. Important youth policy initiatives were also implemented. The "Almaty — Youth Capital of the Turkic World" program was launched, featuring a multilateral youth exchange program, a Forum of Young Leaders and Entrepreneurs, and an International Youth Festival. The Third Forum of Diaspora Youth was held in Tashkent on June 17–18, where representatives from 30 diasporas worldwide discussed ways to strengthen cooperation and coordination.
Education holds a special place as a key area of integration. To this end, the Ministries of Education and relevant higher education institutions are taking necessary steps to create a permanent secretariat and a special program fund for the Union of Turkic Universities (TURKUNIB) and the Orkhun exchange program. These measures aim to ensure the financial sustainability, effectiveness, and attractiveness of academic programs.
Additionally, to elevate cooperation, Hungary's initiative to establish a Science, Development, and Innovation Fund of the Organization of Turkic States was supported. The fund is planned to have an annual financing volume of 1 million euros.
Both of the aforementioned initiatives are expected to be approved at the upcoming meeting of Education Ministers. Their implementation will raise cooperation in education and science to a new, higher level and provide additional impetus to the integration process.
Space, Innovation, and Digital Development
A series of important events were held in the areas of space, innovation, and digital development, raising the scientific and technical cooperation of the Turkic states to a new level and opening up broad opportunities for the younger generation.
The fourth meeting of space agencies and relevant bodies of OTS member states took place in Baku on April 23, 2025, with a special focus on the jointly developed Cube Satellite (CubeSat) project. This project is viewed as the flagship initiative for OTS space integration, and its full implementation is planned by the end of the current year.
Furthermore, in August, the opening ceremony of the Third Academy of Young Space Researchers of Turkic Countries was held at the ESBAŞ space camp in Izmir. The program was designed to stimulate youth interest in scientific and space careers, strengthen professional ties, and train future leaders. Forty students participated in the academy, where they studied astronomy, astrophysics, rocketry, and space sciences in depth.
Major international cultural events were also held in Kyrgyzstan with the participation of the OTS. The VIII International Festival of Folk Epics, dedicated to the 130th anniversary of the great manaschi Sayakbay Karalaev, took place in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic, from May 27–31, 2025, where the OTS presented an award to the winner of the "Best Yurt" competition.
The Organization of Turkic States' international cooperation has expanded significantly in recent years. Following the instructions of our Heads of State, effective interaction has been established with major international organizations and their regional representations in Geneva, Vienna, Brussels, Paris, and New York.
One of the significant events of 2025 was the “Cleantech Days 2025” forum, held in Istanbul on September 1. The event was jointly organized by the OTS, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK). The forum served as a platform for showcasing achievements in clean technologies on a global level, exchanging experiences, and promoting sustainable industrial development. The most important element of the program was a high-level panel session on "Developing Green Innovations through Regional Cooperation: The Role of the Organization of Turkic States." Speakers paid special attention to opportunities for regional cooperation, including developing renewable energy projects, disseminating innovative technologies, and ensuring environmental sustainability.
Furthermore, a "Turkic Week" will be held this year in Vienna to promote the OTS, in collaboration with Turkic cooperation organizations and with the support of our diplomatic missions in Vienna.
In addition to the above, the first official visit of the OTS Secretary General to Mongolia was organized from March 18–21, 2025. At the invitation of the Mongolian Foreign Minister, high-level meetings were held with the Advisor to the President of Mongolia, the Secretary of the National Security Council, the Head of the Presidential Administration, a former President, and a Member of Parliament. Discussions focused on OTS activities, cooperation areas, Turkic-Mongolian historical ties, and opportunities for expanding bilateral and multilateral interaction. This visit was an important step in strengthening OTS cooperation with Mongolia and expanding the Organization's integration efforts in the region.
The Informal OTS Summit held in Budapest on May 21 is also among the year's significant events. The Budapest Declaration, which defined a new roadmap for economic integration, digital development, and security, was adopted in Europe, on the territory of an Observer State, for the first time.
Looking ahead, the 12th Official OTS Summit on "Regional Peace and Security" will take place in Azerbaijan on October 7, 2025. It is expected to mark a new stage in deepening integration and strengthening the unity of the Turkic states. Thus, the chairmanship of the Kyrgyz Republic under the leadership of President S.N. Japarov has given fresh momentum to the integration processes within the OTS and made a significant contribution to strengthening strategic partnership.
Kubanychbek Kasymovich Omuraliev, Ambassador,
Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States