ASTANA – Regional stability, connectivity, and climate action are among the top priorities for Kazakhstan’s chairmanship of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), said President Kasym-Jomart Tokayev during his speech at the OTS informal summit in Shusha, Azerbaijan, on July 6, according to the Akorda press service.
The informal summit of the Organization of Turkic States in Azerbaijan gathered heads of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Uzbekistan. Photo credit: akorda.kz
Kazakhstan’s chairmanship of the OTS for 2023-2024 is held under the TURKTIME! motto. According to Tokayev, the summit aims to achieve key priorities such as improving the welfare of Turkic peoples, defining new directions for the organization’s development, strengthening brotherly ties, and ensuring stability in the region.
“We will make every effort to strengthen the international status of the organization. Under the organization’s motto ‘TURKTIME!’ we are increasing our interaction. To date, about 40 events have been held. New mechanisms of cooperation between our countries have been developed in areas such as social policy, law enforcement, education, technology, innovation, and industry. In September, the capital of Kazakhstan will host the fifth World Nomad Games, which are designed to promote the rich Turkic culture,” said Tokayev, inviting athletes from Turkic countries to participate in the games.
Ensuring global security and stability is one of Kazakhstan’s foreign policy priorities, and in this regard, the unity and solidarity of Turkic nations are important, according to Tokayev.
“Our strength is in unity. There is only one effective way to resolve any conflicts and contradictions: constructive dialog. That is why we pay special attention to the principle of ‘mediation’ within the framework of our chairmanship at the organization,” he said.
He highlighted emerging positive trends in the establishment of peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
“In this regard, I would like to emphasize that Kazakhstan has always supported peacekeeping efforts. We are ready at any time to provide our platform for peace talks between Baku and Yerevan,” said Tokayev.
Trade
Internal trade between Turkic States has doubled recently but the full potential of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route remains untapped, according to Tokayev. In this regard, the launch of the Digital Trade Corridor will help to reduce the time of cargo delivery. Tokayev highlighted that Azerbaijan is closely cooperating with Kazakhstan in this direction.
“At present, the integration of bilateral railway administrations has been completed. Thanks to this, last year the volume of cargo traffic along the Middle Corridor increased by 65%, or almost three million tons. In addition, the capabilities of the sea hub in the port of Aktau allow for an increase in the number of transported containers up to 300,000. The sea harbor accepts vessels from the Caspian basin and Central Asia,” he said.
To enhance cooperation, Tokayev proposed to create the Council of Turkic Central Banks and the All-Turkic Patent Organization.
Climate action and COP29
According to Tokayev, the region could face severe consequences of rising temperatures from climate change, making effective climate change management crucial.
“We are ready to strengthen cooperation with the Turkic world on climate issues. This year, we plan to take an active part in the COP29 climate conference in Azerbaijan. Kazakhstan has a responsible attitude to climate change commitments. In 2026, we will hold the Regional Climate Summit under UN auspices. I am confident that our Turkic brothers will take an active part in its work,” said Tokayev.
Tokayev urged Turkic states to join efforts to solve environmental problems of the Caspian and Aral seas.
“We have noted the importance of enhancing the logistical potential of the Caspian Sea. At the same time, it is unacceptable to overlook its environmental issues. The sea is on the verge of extinction. The most important task is to protect its environment, flora, and fauna,” said Tokayev.
“In addition, the drying up of the Aral Sea and desertification of its territory cause concern. The affected territory should be recultivated. Besides, it is important to effectively utilize water resources of transboundary rivers. For this purpose, it is necessary to apply water-saving technologies more widely,” he added.
