Meeting of the 10th OTS Summit on November 3, 2023. akorda.kz
In the midst of shifting global circumstances marked by conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle East, and the South Caucasus, as well as the rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan, the Turkic world is experiencing a remarkable surge in consolidation. This renewed urgency for unity and cooperation was evident at the 10th-anniversary summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), which convened in Astana on November 3.
Five years ago, when former Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev proposed the "Turkic Vision 2040" program and the transformation of the Turkic Council into the Organization of Turkic States, few believed that this union would extend beyond the humanitarian framework established in the early 1990s. However, over the pastfive years, the Turkic component in global Eurasian politics has gained increasing significance, whether welcomed or contested.
Several notable developments underscore this growing importance. First, the OTS expanded its membership, welcoming Uzbekistan as a full member and Hungary and Turkmenistan as observers. Second, the organization's agenda has evolved, transitioning from primarily humanitarian concerns to encompass security, economics, logistics, and politics. Notably, the OTS has begun to assert its stance on international issues, including the situations in Karabakh, Ukraine, and Palestine.
One significant but often overlooked development is the strengthening of the Turkic component within various regional organizations and unions, such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC), Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Consultative Meeting of Central Asia, Economic Cooperation Organization, and 5+1 (USA) and 5+1 (PRC) initiatives. In these forums, the Turkic influence has become predominant, with Turkic leaders successfully shaping a consolidated agenda.
The OTS's ambitions have not gone unnoticed, as they seek not only recognition but also a substantial role in global politics. The transition from the Turkic Council to the Organization of Turkic States signifies this ambition. At last year 's Samarkand summit, the slogan "A new era of the Turkic civilization - together to common development and prosperity" was adopted, followed by "2023 is the year of the development of the Turkic civilization" and "TURKTIME" (the Turkic era). These aspirations are grounded in the geopolitical significance of the southern regions of the former USSR, which possess abundant resources, vital logistics routes, and historical trade routes.
This concerted effort suggests the deliberate formation of a Turan space, driven by shared goals of unifying alphabets, eliminating language barriers, harmonizing legislative acts, and implementing collaborative projects. Ahead of the Ankara summit, the Turkish Parliament ratified an agreement on the Turkic Investment Fund, scheduled to commence operations on January 1, 2024, with an initial authorized capital of $700 million. The Fund aims to finance projects across various sectors of the economy, from industry and construction to agriculture, information technology, tourism, and transportation.
Even the typically cautious leader of neutral Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, highlighted the need for consolidation in the interest of security and the development of a trans-Caspian pipeline.
Pan-turanist concerns of observers about the OTS's leadership ambitions appear unfounded, as the organization commits to international norms and principles, including sovereign equality and territorial integrity. Their policy is rooted in shared history, language, culture, traditions, and values of Turkic-speaking peoples.
At the summit, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized the need to employ internationally recognized instruments to resolve current conflicts, such as Ukraine and Palestine. This collective and balanced statement underscores the OTS's aspiration to participate meaningfully in global processes.
As we move forward OTS, the new document "Prospects of the Turkic World - 2040" adopted at the summit replaces the "Turkic Vision 2040". It includes eight priorities embodied in the abbreviation "TURKTIME" - Traditions, Unification, Reforms, Knowledge, Trust, Investment, Mediation, and Energy - outline a far-reaching strategy. The trajectory of the OTS's development suggests an increasingly prominent role in regional and global dynamics, forming alliances and partnerships on the world stage. International power centers are already vying for closer collaboration with the organization, underscoring its potential to shape the future of the Turkic world and beyond.
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