BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 15. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s personal commitment to the idea of Turkic unity provides a solid foundation for further consolidation within the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), Secretary General of the OTS Kubanychbek Omuraliyev said in an exclusive interview with Trend on the occasion of the organization's Informal Summit, to be held in Turkistan, Kazakhstan.
"Azerbaijan plays a very important role within the Organization. Being one of its founding members, it has been involved in shaping the process from the very beginning. Equally important is the strong political will demonstrated by the leadership of Azerbaijan and H.E. President Ilham Aliyev’s personal commitment to the idea of Turkic unity, which provides a solid foundation for further consolidation within the OTS," he said.
Omuraliyev recalled that during his inauguration on 14 February 2024, President Ilham Aliyev emphasized: “This [the Organization of Turkic States] is the main international organization for us, because it is our family. We have no other family. Our family is the Turkic world.”
"These words clearly reflect Azerbaijan’s determination to further strengthen the OTS and elevate it as an influential and respected actor on the global stage," he added.
The OTS secretary general pointed out that at the same time, Azerbaijan’s strategic location between Europe and Asia gives it a natural advantage as a bridge connecting the Turkic world with wider international markets.
"Under the leadership of esteemed President Ilham Aliyev, the country has implemented major energy and transport projects, including the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan oil pipeline, the Southern Gas Corridor, the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway, as well as the modernization of the East–West transport corridor. Today, Azerbaijan is also a central part of the Middle Corridor. The Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway, for example, continues to expand its capacity and plays an important role in East–West transport. In practical terms, the corridor is already helping reduce delivery times between Asia and Europe and making land transport a more realistic alternative," he noted.
Omuraliyev went on to add that energy remains a key area of cooperation within the OTS.
"Taken together, the Turkic states rank as the third-largest energy supplier globally. Joint projects not only strengthen energy security but also create a platform for the green transition. A clear example is the agreement between Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan on strategic partnership in renewable energy, which is creating a “green energy bridge” along the Middle Corridor. In addition, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Hungary, and Romania are advancing energy cooperation within the “Green Corridor” project. Its central element is a high-voltage submarine cable across the Black Sea, connecting the South Caucasus with the EU energy system. The project foresees the transmission of several gigawatts of mainly renewable electricity, primarily wind and solar energy from Azerbaijan and Georgia via an undersea interconnector to Romania, with further integration into Hungary and the wider European grid," said the OTS secretary general.
He pointed out that Azerbaijan continues to strengthen its economic ties within the Organization.
"In 2025 alone, trade with OTS countries reached nearly 7.3 billion USD, with Türkiye and Kazakhstan remaining the main partners. One of the key cooperation mechanisms is the Turkic Investment Fund, the creation of which was first proposed by President Ilham Aliyev at the 4th OTS Summit in Bodrum in June 2014. Initially established with a capital of 500 million USD, the Fund has now grown to 600 million USD following Hungary’s accession. It supports mutual investments, promotes innovation, and fosters entrepreneurship, especially among small and medium-sized enterprises. At the same time, Azerbaijani direct investments in OTS countries have already exceeded 20 billion USD, forming a strong basis for joint projects and deeper economic integration. So overall, I would say Azerbaijan’s role is very practical. It connects regions, supports energy and transport flows, and helps turn cooperation into real projects that actually work. And in today’s world, this kind of connectivity is becoming more and more important," added Omuraliyev.
Talking about the Informal Summit of the Organization of Turkic States, to be held under the theme “Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development,” the secretary general said that it represents an important milestone in advancing the organization's shared strategic vision under the Turkic World Vision 2040.
" The selected theme is highly relevant in today’s global context, where artificial intelligence and digital development are rapidly reshaping economies, governance models, and international cooperation. Turkistan is a particularly meaningful venue for this gathering. As a spiritual center of the Turkic world, it reflects our shared heritage while we continue to build a common future,” he said.
Omuraliyev pointed out that in recent years, Informal Summits have become a valuable part of the organization’s engagement.
“They complement formal meetings by providing a more flexible setting for regular dialogue among our Heads of State. This allows us to stay aligned, strengthen mutual understanding, and ensure steady progress on our joint initiatives. We expect the Summit to result in practical outcomes, including the adoption of the Turkistan Declaration, which will help guide our cooperation in the coming period. The agenda is focused and forward-looking, with an emphasis on strengthening collaboration across key areas,” noted the OTS secretary general.
He noted that the meeting will also give a chance to review progress since the Gabala Summit and maintain momentum in priority areas.
“Overall, we see it as an opportunity to further strengthen cooperation and reinforce the role of the Organization as a relevant and effective regional platform,” Omuraliyev added.
He further touched upon the mechanisms for deepening intra-regional trade, investment, and value chain connectivity among member states.
“The OTS continues to make significant strides in strengthening economic cooperation among its Member States. Currently, 58 cooperation mechanisms exist under OTS umbrella, which cover almost all areas in the economic field. Key mechanisms supporting these efforts include the $600 million Turkic Investment Fund (TIF), which supports mutual investments, stimulates innovation, and develops entrepreneurship, particularly for SMEs. Equally important is the Union of Turkic Chambers of Commerce and Industry (TCCI), which unites over 2 million companies and fosters practical cooperation among entrepreneurs. At the moment we are working on proper institutionalization of TCCI,” he said.
Omuraliyev recalled that last year the Turkic Investment Promotion Network (TurkIPAnet) was launched within OTS, which will foster collaboration that drive investment, innovation, and sustainable development throughout the Turkic region.
“Additionally, last year we held the 1st meetings of the newly established Council of Central (National) Banks of the OTS and the Turkic Green Finance Council (TGFC), which aims to develop the capital market in the OTS region for the green economy, as well as enhance cooperation among OTS Member States in the field of monetary policy, payment systems development and financial technologies. Last year we also started full-fledged cooperation among the Financial Intelligence Units and Competition Authorities of OTS Member States, which will further strengthen our economic cooperation.
Besides, concluding an agreement on free trade in services and investments is also vital for increasing the intra-regional trade within the OTS and I am hopeful that the OTS Member States will reach a consensus in the near future on this matter. Moreover, after entry into force of the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA), which was signed within the framework of the 11th Summit of OTS in Bishkek, we expect that the development of trust in the electronic transactions between OTS Member States will increase, which will pave the way to increasing the e-trade in OTS region,” said the OTS secretary general.
Omuraliyev pointed out that all these initiatives within the OTS serve to integrate the economies of Turkic States, which has positive impact on deepening trade and investments in the region.
Talking about the growing importance of the Middle Corridor, the secretary general noted that it has a real potential to better connect the OTS region with global trade flows.
“Indeed, the Middle Corridor is becoming more and more important in today’s global context. As supply chains are being reshaped, countries are looking not only for faster routes, but also for more reliable and diversified options. In this sense, the Middle Corridor is emerging as a very practical link between Asia and Europe. For us, its development remains a key priority under the Turkic World Vision 2040. It is one of the shortest overland routes between East and West and has real potential to better connect our region with global trade flows,” he said.
At the same time, the OTS secretary general pointed out that infrastructure alone is not enough.
“What really matters is coordination between countries and how efficiently the system works in practice. That is why we are focusing on both strengthening connectivity and simplifying operations along the route. A good example is the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, which is expected to significantly increase capacity and improve transit efficiency, with volumes reaching up to 15 million tons annually,” noted Omuraliyev.
He said that strong emphasis is also placed on digitalization in customs and logistics.
“Azerbaijan and other member states have been successfully implementing systems such as ePermit (electronic transport permits), eCMR (electronic consignment notes), and eTIR (electronic customs transit system), making international shipments faster, simpler, and more transparent. A key milestone in this regard was the adoption of the regional roadmap for the full implementation of eTIR at the OTS Heads of Customs Meeting in Baku in January 2025, as well as the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on the implementation of eCMR in April 2026 by the ministries responsible for transport of the OTS Member States,” noted the OTS secretary general.
Omuraliyev belives that together with the decisions taken at the Samarkand Summit in 2022 on simplifying customs procedures and international freight transport, these efforts are steadily making the Middle Corridor more efficient and predictable.
“Over time, this is what will ensure its role as a truly competitive and reliable route for all partners involved,” he added.
