Gabala Summit: Turkic Nations Shaping the Architecture of Regional Security
Uzbekistan
The geopolitical landscape of the 21st century is rapidly transforming, marked by the rise of regional alliances and the emergence of new power centers. Against this backdrop, the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) is evolving into one of the key platforms capable of becoming an independent global actor. Rooted in shared historical and cultural ties, the OTS today represents a strategic alliance that combines political independence, economic interdependence, and a unified security agenda.
The 12th OTS Summit, to be held in Gabala, Azerbaijan, is expected to play a decisive role in defining the future strategy of the Turkic world. The agenda will focus on regional stability, joint defense policy, and economic integration. Heads of member and observer states will convene to review past progress and outline new directions for cooperation.
Although officially established by the Nakhchivan Agreement in 2009, the organization’s idea dates back centuries, reflecting the long-standing political and cultural solidarity among Turkic peoples. Today, the OTS includes Azerbaijan, Türkiye, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan as full members, while Hungary, Turkmenistan, and Northern Cyprus hold observer status. In 2023, the Economic Cooperation Organization also joined as an observer.
In recent years, the OTS agenda has expanded beyond cultural cooperation to encompass strategic security, energy policy, transport and logistics, agriculture, digitalization, and space exploration. The Karabakh Declaration, adopted in Shusha, symbolized a new political era. President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan declared that “the OTS must become one of the centers of power in the 21st century, which should be the century of prosperity for the Turkic world.”
Azerbaijan continues to realize the idea of Turkic unity through joint infrastructure and social projects in the liberated territories. With the support of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Hungary, schools and cultural centers are being built. At the Bishkek Summit in 2024, President Aliyev expressed his gratitude to these countries for their contribution to the reconstruction of Karabakh and their support of integration initiatives.
The main theme of the Gabala Summit — “Regional Peace and Security” — reflects the OTS’s ambition to develop its own system of collective security. In the near future, the organization plans joint military exercises, cooperation in defense industries, development of cybersecurity, and mechanisms for strategic information exchange. This marks a shift from symbolic unity toward building a real framework for regional security.
Alongside political and economic cooperation, the OTS promotes humanitarian engagement. The Turkic Parliamentary Assembly (TURKPA) and the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, headquartered in Baku, reinforce Azerbaijan’s cultural leadership and strengthen ties among Turkic nations. Joint initiatives in education, media, and the arts contribute to forming a shared civilizational space.
Turkic nations play a strategic role in projects such as the “North–South” and “East–West” transport corridors and the revival of the Great Silk Road. Thus, the OTS is emerging as a bridge between East and West, forming a new model of Eurasian integration and positioning itself as an independent geopolitical center.
Today, the Organization of Turkic States is evolving from a cultural forum into an integrated political and economic platform. Growing mutual trust and a shared strategic vision are strengthening the OTS as an alternative center of stability and power across Eurasia. The 21st century is increasingly taking shape as the century of Turkic unity and strength.
Although officially established by the Nakhchivan Agreement in 2009, the organization’s idea dates back centuries, reflecting the long-standing political and cultural solidarity among Turkic peoples. Today, the OTS includes Azerbaijan, Türkiye, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan as full members, while Hungary, Turkmenistan, and Northern Cyprus hold observer status. In 2023, the Economic Cooperation Organization also joined as an observer.
In recent years, the OTS agenda has expanded beyond cultural cooperation to encompass strategic security, energy policy, transport and logistics, agriculture, digitalization, and space exploration. The Karabakh Declaration, adopted in Shusha, symbolized a new political era. President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan declared that “the OTS must become one of the centers of power in the 21st century, which should be the century of prosperity for the Turkic world.”
Azerbaijan continues to realize the idea of Turkic unity through joint infrastructure and social projects in the liberated territories. With the support of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Hungary, schools and cultural centers are being built. At the Bishkek Summit in 2024, President Aliyev expressed his gratitude to these countries for their contribution to the reconstruction of Karabakh and their support of integration initiatives.
The main theme of the Gabala Summit — “Regional Peace and Security” — reflects the OTS’s ambition to develop its own system of collective security. In the near future, the organization plans joint military exercises, cooperation in defense industries, development of cybersecurity, and mechanisms for strategic information exchange. This marks a shift from symbolic unity toward building a real framework for regional security.
Alongside political and economic cooperation, the OTS promotes humanitarian engagement. The Turkic Parliamentary Assembly (TURKPA) and the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, headquartered in Baku, reinforce Azerbaijan’s cultural leadership and strengthen ties among Turkic nations. Joint initiatives in education, media, and the arts contribute to forming a shared civilizational space.
Turkic nations play a strategic role in projects such as the “North–South” and “East–West” transport corridors and the revival of the Great Silk Road. Thus, the OTS is emerging as a bridge between East and West, forming a new model of Eurasian integration and positioning itself as an independent geopolitical center.
Today, the Organization of Turkic States is evolving from a cultural forum into an integrated political and economic platform. Growing mutual trust and a shared strategic vision are strengthening the OTS as an alternative center of stability and power across Eurasia. The 21st century is increasingly taking shape as the century of Turkic unity and strength.
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