The President of Uzbekistan put forward important initiatives at the OTS summit

On October 30, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev took part in the 13th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States in Ankara, the press service of the President of Uzbekistan reports.

The event, held under the motto “The Turkic World: Unity in Language, Thought and Action,” was also attended by President of the Republic of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov, and Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States Kubanychbek Omuraliev.

The summit participants discussed the current agenda and considered prospects for further deepening practical cooperation among the member states.

At the beginning of his address, the President of Uzbekistan expressed his gratitude to the President of Türkiye for organizing the summit in Ankara, a city situated at the crossroads of great civilizations, at a high level.

It was also noted that the opening of a national cultural complex representing the participating states in the picturesque Beshtape Park on the eve of the event marked an important step towards preserving the common heritage of the Turkic peoples. Confidence was expressed that this magnificent complex would become a prominent symbol of the unity of the Turkic world.

The President emphasized that the international relations system is undergoing fundamental changes, while geopolitical competition is intensifying. Ongoing armed conflicts and tensions in regions surrounding the Turkic world are affecting prospects for security and development.

In this regard, the President highlighted the need to further strengthen the Organization of Turkic States as a platform for mutual trust and practical partnership.

“We are united on this noble path and are ready to mobilize our efforts in the name of Turkic solidarity,” the President of Uzbekistan stated.

The President put forward a number of important initiatives aimed at elevating cooperation among Turkic states to a qualitatively new level.

The importance of holding regular political consultations within the Organization of Turkic States on pressing international and regional issues, as well as coordinating approaches and efforts, was emphasized. To this end, it was proposed to launch cooperation with third countries in the “Organization of Turkic States Plus” format, beginning with meetings of sectoral ministers.

“These dialogues should focus on implementing specific joint projects in trade, transport, investment, and other priority areas,” Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted.

It was proposed to adopt the “Turkic World – 100” Program, encompassing 100 strategic joint investment and industrial projects, including the processing of rare minerals and the localization of equipment production for green energy. In this regard, attracting resources from the Turkic Investment Fund and international financial institutions will be important for implementing these projects.

In addition, an initiative was put forward to develop a multilateral agreement on “Mutual Legal Assistance in Commercial Matters” to protect the interests of entrepreneurs, as well as to establish a digital platform for the electronic exchange of requests for legal assistance and documents.

Amid ongoing changes in global supply chains, the geographical location and transit potential of the Turkic states are acquiring increasing strategic importance.

To transform the Middle Corridor into a unified economic system, it was proposed to establish a “Network of Logistics Complexes of the Turkic States” and ensure its joint management. This would expand the participation of our countries in international freight transportation and logistics while increasing the economic benefits of cooperation.

To enhance tourism potential, the establishment of a “Turkic Tourism Alliance” was proposed, along with the development of a multilateral agreement to simplify travel between participating countries and expand opportunities for travel using ID cards.

The President expressed readiness to allocate annual educational grants to representatives of Turkic states under the “New Uzbekistan” scholarship program established in Uzbekistan for international students.

Special gratitude was also expressed for supporting the initiative to declare 2027 the Year of Environmental Protection within the Organization. Satisfaction was noted with the presentation of the international award named after the great thinker and statesman Alisher Navoi, established at Uzbekistan’s initiative, to Duesen Kaseinov, a distinguished cultural figure of Kazakhstan and ambassador.

The great Alisher Navoi, who devoted his life to the development of the Turkic language, emphasized: “Those who do not command their own language do not enjoy the respect of their people.” In keeping with the motto of the current summit, it was proposed to create a “Dictionary of Common Turkic Words” comprising words shared by the languages of the Turkic peoples and equally understood by all of them.

“I am confident that today’s Ankara Summit will mark an important step towards achieving our noble goal, advancing the idea of solidarity, and implementing ambitious plans. After all, our dreams, hopes, and aspirations are similar. When we are united, we become even stronger. If we stand together, we will certainly reach the highest goals,” the President concluded.

During the event, a decision was made to support the candidacy of Uzbekistan’s representative Mirvohid Azimov for the position of the Organization’s new Secretary General, as well as to hold the next summit in Uzbekistan next year.

Following the summit, the Ankara Declaration and a number of documents aimed at further expanding mutually beneficial cooperation among the member states of the Organization were adopted.