BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 25. The Solidarity Forum of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) from countries of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) continued in Nakhchivan, Trend reports.
In her opening speech, Aygün Aliyeva, Executive Director of the State Agency for Support to NGOs of Azerbaijan, highlighted the growing collaboration with NGOs in Turkic countries.
"Over the past three years, we have carried out a series of important projects with NGOs and partner institutions in Uzbekistan, Türkiye, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, and other brotherly Turkic states.
Notable examples of our collaboration include the NGO cooperation forums organized in the Azerbaijan-Türkiye and Azerbaijan-Uzbekistan formats, as well as the 'Civil Society Forum of Turkic States' held in Baku during COP29. Yesterday marked a milestone with the first-ever Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan NGO Cooperation Forum, and I am confident that we will soon host the second edition of this forum in Kazakhstan, further strengthening our partnership," she said.
Jeyhun Jalilov, the authorized representative of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, highlighted the symbolic significance of holding the Solidarity Forum of NGOs from the member states of the Turkic States Organization in the very city where the "Nakhchivan Agreement" was signed in 2009.
“Nakhchivan’s civil society representatives are particularly eager to expand cooperation with Turkic states. The region’s NGOs are enthusiastic about joining regional initiatives, participating in joint projects, and contributing to the unity of the Turkic world,” Jalilov said.
He also pointed out that the groundwork on crucial infrastructure projects in the Nakhchivan section of the Zangezur corridor, including highways, railways, energy, and communication lines, has picked up steam and is now reaching the home stretch.
“The consistent attention and support provided by President Ilham Aliyev to Nakhchivan is a driving force behind the rapid development of this historic land. Today, Nakhchivan is emerging as a model of a new development approach, not only regionally but across the broader Turkic geography,” he added.
Tural Aliyev, Head of the NGO Sector of the Department of Work with NGOs and Communications of the Presidential Administration, noted that the forum represents a historic first: NGOs from Turkic States member countries are uniting on a single platform in Nakhchivan for the very first time.
“This is a proud and historic day for the entire Turkic world. Through our joint efforts, we aim to expand grant competitions for NGOs in areas such as history, culture, ecology, climate policy, and more across Azerbaijan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Hungary, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. We are ready to begin negotiations immediately, organize competitions swiftly, and evaluate new initiatives,” Aliyev said.
Aliyev articulated a strong conviction that the initiative
initiated in Baku will persist in its trajectory.
“We anticipate that the Solidarity Forum of NGOs within the Turkic
States Organization will evolve into an annual convening under the
auspices of the organization, thereby establishing a robust and
enduring tradition,” he elaborated.
The forum culminated in an array of expert-led panel
discourses.
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