BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 16. Azerbaijan's trade turnover with the member countries of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) reached $2.1 billion from January through April 2026.
This was stated in the report by the Azerbaijani State Customs Committee.
According to the report, despite a $295.6 million, or 12.3%, decrease in the above indicator compared to the same period last year, it demonstrates that the OTS area holds an important place in Azerbaijan's foreign trade.
During the reporting period, trade with OTS countries accounted for 12.07 % of Azerbaijan's total foreign trade turnover.
The largest trading partner was again Türkiye. In the first four months, Azerbaijan-Türkiye trade turnover decreased by 5.2% to $1.8 billion. At the same time, trade turnover with Kyrgyzstan increased by 1.9 times to $19.5 million. Trade turnover with Kazakhstan decreased by 57% to $114.2 million, and with Uzbekistan decreased by 30.1% to $51.2 million.
However, long-term dynamics indicate that economic integration in the Turkic world is strengthening. Thus, in 2025, Azerbaijan's total trade turnover with the OTS countries was $7.264 billion, which is $371.1 million or 5.4 % more than in 2024. During that period, the share of the OTS countries in Azerbaijan's total trade increased to 14.5 %.
In 2025, Azerbaijan's trade turnover with Türkiye was $5.7 billion, with Kazakhstan $670.6 million, with Uzbekistan $795.2 million, and with Kyrgyzstan $77.2 million.
Shusha Forum brought competition cooperation to the agenda
One of the new directions of economic integration among Turkic states is cooperation in the field of competition policy.
On June 13, a Competition Forum was held in Shusha with the participation of the heads of competition authorities of the member states of the Organization of Turkic States. Representatives of Azerbaijan, Türkiye, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Hungary, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus participated in the event organized by the State Agency for Antimonopoly and Consumer Market Control under the President of Azerbaijan.
Officials speaking at the forum emphasized the importance of deepening economic integration among member states, harmonizing competition policies, and expanding institutional cooperation.
The panel discussions reviewed issues of strengthening coordination between competition authorities, forming a single economic space, and ensuring the more efficient functioning of markets.
Baku meeting explores new priorities for economic cooperation
The second meeting of the heads of government and vice presidents of the member states of the Organization of Turkic States, held in Baku on April 2 this year, is considered an important stage in terms of expanding economic cooperation.
The joint statement adopted at the end of the meeting identified increasing trade between member and observer states, eliminating non-tariff barriers, expanding investment cooperation, and improving the business environment as the main priorities.
The document specifically emphasized energy security, green energy projects, critical minerals, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, transport corridors, and industrial cooperation.
The OTS countries also declared their support for the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor and their commitment to increasing the potential of the Middle Corridor.
Ali Asadov: Azerbaijan's investments in OTS countries reached $21 billion
Speaking at the Baku meeting, Prime Minister Ali Asadov said that in recent years, economic cooperation within the OTS has been demonstrating positive dynamics.
According to him, last year, Azerbaijan's trade turnover with OTS countries increased by more than 5 %, and the total volume of Azerbaijan's investments in member states reached $21 billion.
The prime minister noted that the geostrategic position of the Turkic states and their location on transport routes connecting Europe and Asia create important opportunities for further expansion of economic cooperation.
Turkic Investment Fund and new economic mechanisms
In his speech, Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz said that the Turkic States Investment Fund will soon begin its financing activities.
Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov proposed the establishment of a Permanent Council for Economic Partnership of the Organization of Turkic States. He also stressed the importance of forming an Industrial Union of Turkic States and developing a cooperation program on strategic minerals.
OTS Secretary General: Azerbaijan plays a leading role within the organization
In an interview with Trend, the Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States, Kubanichbek Omuraliev, said that Azerbaijan plays an important role within the organization.
According to him, President Ilham Aliyev's commitment to the idea of Turkic unity creates a solid foundation for the future development and consolidation of the OTS.
The Secretary General noted that Azerbaijan has become one of the main centers connecting the Turkic states and the wider geography with its large-scale projects in the energy and transport sectors.
According to Omuraliev, the fact that the OTS countries rank third in the world in terms of energy reserves further increases the strategic importance of the organization. He cited the green energy cooperation between Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, as well as the Green Energy Corridor project that will pass through the Black Sea, as successful examples of cooperation.
Middle Corridor becomes one of the main pillars of OTS cooperation
The Secretary General said that the Middle Corridor is currently one of the main priorities of the OTS.
According to him, the volume of cargo transported through the Middle Corridor in 2025 reached 4.7 million tons, and this figure is expected to increase to 10 million tons by 2027.
OTS countries are accelerating digitalization in the field of customs and logistics. In this context, the introduction of eTIR, eCMR, and ePermit systems serves to accelerate cargo transportation and simplify transit procedures.
Growth in trade volumes indicates deeper integration
According to experts, despite the statistical changes observed in different periods, the expansion of cooperation in the fields of trade, investment, transport, energy, and digital economy in the OTS space in recent years indicates an increase in the economic integration potential of the organization.
Trade liberalization, the launch of the Turkic Investment Fund, the development of the Central Corridor, green energy, and digital economy projects may provide additional impetus to the further deepening of economic relations between the OTS countries in the coming years.
