Organization of Turkic States marks 15th anniversary

By Meiramgul Kussainova

ASTANA (AA) — The Organization of Turkic States (OTS), a key international body for the integration of the Turkic world, is marking on Thursday the 15th year since its establishment.

Originally founded as the "Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking Countries" (Turkic Council), the organization's foundations were laid by the Nakhchivan Agreement signed on Oct. 3, 2009, by Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Türkiye.

The aim of the OTS is to integrate the Turkic world through shared historical and cultural values and cooperation in diverse fields, including economy, politics, education, culture, defense, security, transportation, customs, tourism, and sports.

It also serves to enhance the geopolitical position of the Turkic world, with its member countries covering a total area of 4.25 million square kilometers (over 1.6 million square miles) and a population of around 160 million, gaining considerable regional recognition over the past 15 years.

The decision to rename the council to the Organization of Turkic States at the 8th Summit of Heads of State in Istanbul on Nov. 12, 2021, marks the start of a new era in the Turkic world's integration on the international stage.

Today, it includes five full members, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Türkiye, and Uzbekistan, with Turkmenistan, Hungary, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) as observers.

Based in Istanbul, the OTS is made up five principal bodies: The Council of Heads of State, the Council of Foreign Ministers, the Council of Elders, the Senior Officials Committee, and the Secretariat.

It acts as an umbrella organization for cooperation mechanisms like the Parliamentary Assembly of the Turkic Speaking Countries (TURKPA), the International Turkic Academy, International Organization of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY), the Turkic Investment Fund, and the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation.

It also partners with major international organizations, including the UN, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and the World Customs Organization (WCO).

The organization also maintains a representative office in Hungary's capital Budapest to strengthen ties with its observer member and advance relations with institutions to boost its visibility in Europe, like the EU, the OSCE, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and the Visegrad Group, which comprises of Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic.

With its Turkic World Vision 2040 document, the OTS hopes to foster mutual trust and healthy human relations, strengthen political solidarity, promote economic and technical cooperation, and document the Turkic world's historical and cultural heritage.

- OTS heads of state adopt 'Turkic Era' slogan

At the 10th Anniversary Summit of the OTS in Kazakhstan, leaders adopted the slogan "Turkic Era" and committed to closer cooperation in defense and security.

Over 15 years, the OTS has successfully integrated member-state institutions and communities.

Recent activities have increased interest in shared historical and cultural values, with the Turkic Academy's agreement on a 34-letter Common Turkic Alphabet celebrated across the Turkic world.

The OTS has hosted 10 summits and will hold its 11th on Nov. 6 in Kyrgyzstan.