Türkiye celebrates 15th anniversary of Organization of Turkic States

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has stressed Ankara's determination to strengthen the Organization of Turkic States as it celebrated the 15th anniversary of its foundation.

"I congratulate the anniversary of the establishment of our Turkic States Organization, which is our most important power in our fight against global challenges, and the Turkic States Cooperation Day.

We will continue to strengthen our organisation, which is the new synergy centre of the international system," Erdogan wrote on Thursday on X.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also marked the celebration of October 3, Turkic States Cooperation Day, and the 15th anniversary of the Nakhchivan Agreement, which laid the foundation for the organisation.

Fidan highlighted that the organisation is built on a foundation of brotherhood and strengthened through institutional cooperation, noting significant progress in areas such as the economy, security, defence, and energy.

"This solidarity and unity of destiny is shaping a stronger and more independent future for the Turkic world," he said. He also expressed his wishes for continued success for the Turkic states.

Originally founded as the "Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking Countries" (Turkic Council), the organization's foundations were laid by the Nakhchivan Agreement signed on October 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, defence, security, transportation, customs, tourism, and sports.

New era in Turkic world's integration

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 kilometres 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.

Umbrella organisation for cooperation mechanisms

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

It also partners with major international organisations, 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 organisation 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 Czechia.

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.

'Turkic Era'

At the 10th Anniversary Summit of the OTS in Kazakhstan, leaders adopted the slogan "Turkic Era" and committed to closer cooperation in defence 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 November 6 in Kyrgyzstan.