BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 16. Organization of Turkic States (OTS) is becoming a more effective cooperation format amid new geopolitical realities, Azerbaijani political analyst Azer Garayev told Trend.
According to him, the role of regional cooperation platforms in the modern system of international relations is rapidly increasing. In particular, associations that bring together peoples with a common history, language, and culture form a more sustainable cooperation model from a geopolitical and economic perspective.
He said that in this regard, OTS has attracted attention in recent years not only as a cultural-humanitarian platform, but also as a space for political, economic, transport and technological cooperation. The informal summit of the Heads of State of the OTS held in Turkistan city is also one of the important events that determine the future development trajectory of the organization.
"Today, the OTS is no longer just a union of peoples sharing a common past, but also a strategic cooperation platform formed around common interests. Global geopolitical changes, energy security, reshaping of logistics routes, and digital transformation make coordination among Turkic states even more important. In this context, Azerbaijan is one of the countries that stands out with its special weight and initiatives within the organization.
Azerbaijan has been implementing a consistent policy towards deepening cooperation within the OTS in recent years. In particular, at the initiative of President Ilham Aliyev, the institutional strengthening of the organization and the expansion of the cooperation agenda are observed. It is no coincidence that the first informal Summit of the Heads of State of the Turkic States was held in Shusha, the cultural capital of Azerbaijan, in 2024. The fact that this initiative has already become a tradition can be considered an indicator of Azerbaijan's active role within the organization.
As President Ilham Aliyev emphasized during his speech in Turkistan: "Today, the international standing of the Organization of Turkic States is growing, and its role and position in global affairs are strengthening." This statement accurately reflects the current reality because the Turkic states play the role of a strategic bridge between Europe and Asia in terms of energy, transport and economic relations. In particular, the actualization of the Middle Corridor further increases the geoeconomic importance of the OTS countries," Garayev said.
According to him, Azerbaijan acts as one of the main players in this process with its transit and logistics capabilities.
"The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, international port infrastructure, energy, and communication projects create conditions for Azerbaijan to become a center uniting the Turkic world. As President Ilham Aliyev noted: "In the current global geopolitical environment, the importance of the Middle Corridor continues further. The Zangezur Corridor, which is moving toward realization, will become one of the key segments of the Middle Corridor." This approach shows that Azerbaijan sees the OTS not only as a political platform, but also as a real economic integration mechanism.
At the same time, cooperation within the organization is no longer limited to traditional areas. One of the main areas of attention at the Turkistan Summit was digitalization and artificial intelligence. Against the backdrop of the challenges of the 21st century, technological transformation has an important place on the agenda of Turkic states. The steps taken by Azerbaijan in this direction are also noteworthy. The establishment of the National Artificial Intelligence Center, the Artificial Intelligence Academy in the country, and the adoption of the artificial intelligence strategy indicate Azerbaijan's intention to transition to a new technological stage.
In this sense, digital cooperation within the OTS may be one of the main directions of the coming years. In particular, the Digital Silk Road project and the commissioning of the Trans-Caspian fiber-optic cable line will not only strengthen the digital connection between the Turkic states, but also strengthen the region's position on the international communications map," the analyst said.
Garayev pointed out that it would not be right to limit Azerbaijan's role in the OTS only to economic and transport projects.
"Baku also plays the role of a platform for the cultural and intellectual integration of the Turkic world. As President Ilham Aliyev noted in his speech, in the coming month, it's planned to hold the Turkic World Week, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the First Turcology Congress in Baku. In addition, the organization of the OTS High-Level Dialogue on Urban Planning within the framework of the 13th session of the UN World Urban Forum once again demonstrates Azerbaijan's role as a bridge between international and regional initiatives.
It's clear that the OTS is becoming a more effective cooperation format against the backdrop of new geopolitical realities. The role of Azerbaijan in this process isn't limited only to the status of a participating country. Baku contributes to the future development of the organization with its political initiatives, transport and logistics capabilities, as well as ideas put forward in the direction of digital and humanitarian cooperation. As President Ilham Aliyev emphasized, "our family, the Turkic world, must grow into one of the influential geopolitical centers of the 21st century." It's evident that Azerbaijan continues to be one of the leading actors in the realization of this goal," the analyst added.
