BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. Kyrgyzstan is actively shaping its own strategy for participation in the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), showing a methodical way to weave together the region's economic, institutional, and digital threads. Within this strategy, Kyrgyzstan has focused on overcoming internal barriers within the bloc, jumpstarting investment, and putting processes on the digital fast track, thus paving the way for sustainable economic growth and smoother regional cooperation.
Against this backdrop, key initiatives were presented at the 12th Summit of Heads of State of the OTS in Gabala on October 7, 2025: the Roadmap for Cooperation in Economy, Trade, Investment, and Finance and the Agreement on Mutual Recognition of Electronic Digital Signatures. These projects aim to hit the ground running on integration among member states, cut through the red tape, break down barriers, roll out the welcome mat for investment, and get financial systems on the same page.
The Roadmap is designed to overcome internal fragmentation within the bloc and create conditions for more effective interaction between countries. It outlines a comprehensive approach: enhancing economic potential through joint planning and growth support, simplifying procedures and reducing trade barriers, fostering an investment-friendly environment, and harmonizing financial systems for efficient capital management. The Digital Signature Agreement ensures legal recognition of electronic documents and streamlines cross-border procedures, speeding up the nuts and bolts of practical integration among member states.
The economic context underscores the relevance of these initiatives. The combined GDP of the member states approaches $1.9 trillion, the bloc’s population exceeds 175 million, and the average annual growth rate remains at 4.4. The external trade turnover of OTS countries with the rest of the world reached $1.2 trillion, yet mutual trade among member states amounts to only about $35.6 billion, or roughly 6 percent of total exports. These figures highlight the need for structural and institutional measures to increase internal trade and integration.
The results of Kyrgyzstan’s previous year of chairmanship provide a platform for implementing these new projects. During this period, Kyrgyzstan launched the Turkic Investment Fund (TIF), which provides financing for strategically important projects, including logistics and infrastructure, and for the first time held a meeting of the heads of government of OTS member states in Bishkek on September 18, 2025—a step that President Sadyr Zhaparov called a historic milestone in the development of the organization.
Kyrgyzstan continues to pay attention to the cultural and humanitarian sphere: in 2026, the VI World Nomad Games will be held in the country. In addition, President Sadyr Zhaparov invited OTS missions to participate as international observers in the parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan on November 30, 2025, emphasizing the importance of experience sharing and supporting democratic processes. These steps show that the country is still in the thick of things when it comes to the organization and is keen on keeping its nose to the grindstone with member states.
“Following the Gabala Summit, the Kyrgyz Republic officially concludes its chairmanship and passes the baton to our brotherly Azerbaijan. I am confident that under Azerbaijan’s chairmanship, the organization will continue its progressive development, strengthen its authority on the international stage, and implement new important initiatives for the benefit of all Turkic peoples,” Zhaparov said.
At the same time, despite the conclusion of its chairmanship, Kyrgyzstan demonstrates a determination to remain actively involved in OTS work. The Roadmap and the Digital Signature Agreement reflect not only the current strategic priorities of the bloc but also the country’s intention to continue making a substantial contribution to strengthening economic, institutional, and cultural integration in the region.
These initiatives represent high-potential projects that lay the foundation for more effective economic interaction, infrastructure development, and digital integration, while also building on the institutional achievements of the previous year. They demonstrate a systematic approach to overcoming internal obstacles and align with the key provisions of the Gabala Declaration, the “OTS+” format, and the strengthening of the International Organization TÜRKSOY.
To note, TÜRKSOY is the International Organization of Turkic Culture, an intergovernmental organization established in 1993 by the ministers of culture of several Turkic countries, including Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Its primary goal is to strengthen cultural and artistic cooperation and promote the shared cultural heritage, values, and languages of the Turkic peoples by organizing cultural events like festivals, concerts, and exhibitions, and by publishing scholarly and artistic materials.
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