On Thursday (18 September) the leaders of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) convened in Bishkek to push forward an agenda of regional integration, digital transformation, and infrastructural development. The gathering, which included Prime Ministers and senior officials from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkey, among others, reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing transit potential, modernising transport infrastructure, and accelerating digital cooperation.
At the heart of the discussions were a number of strategic priorities. Delegates emphasised the importance of upgrading the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, including its ports and rail networks, to facilitate smoother logistics and stronger trade flows among member states. Efforts to digitalise customs procedures also featured prominently, with the aim of reducing delays and improving transparency at borders.
In the digital domain, the meeting spotlighted cooperation in areas such as artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. Leaders proposed establishing joint research centres dedicated to these fields, both to share expertise among member states and to build domestic capacities in fast-evolving sectors.
Other areas of focus included trade, investment, energy, agriculture and multilateral cooperation under various OTS bodies, such as the Turkic Investment Fund, the Union of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Turkic States, the Coordination Committee, and the Green Finance Council. These entities are expected to serve as engines for financing, policy harmonisation, and facilitating cross-border projects.
Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, hosting the meeting in his capacity as a leader within the OTS framework, expressed confidence that the meeting’s outcomes would inject “new impetus” into relations among Turkic states and work in the interests of their peoples. He described the integrationist agenda as being enabled by constructive presidential policies across member countries.
