President Ilham Aliyev delivered a speech at the informal Summit of the Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) held in Turkistan, Kazakhstan. The Operative Information Center-OMM reports that the Azerbaijani leader was welcomed by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev before joining other heads of state for an official group photo.
During his address, President Ilham Aliyev expressed gratitude to President Tokayev for the hospitality and highlighted the symbolic bond between Turkistan and Shusha, the cultural capital of Azerbaijan, which became sister cities following Shusha's liberation. The President emphasized the strengthening alliance between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, noting that he has visited Kazakhstan eight times in the last five years, while President Tokayev has visited Azerbaijan six times. He further noted that the OTS is becoming an influential geopolitical power center, with Azerbaijan actively working to deepen cooperation since assuming the chairmanship at the Gabala Summit.
President Ilham Aliyev also detailed Azerbaijan's progress in digital sovereignty and artificial intelligence, mentioning the establishment of the Digital Development Council and the National AI Center. He highlighted the "Digital Silk Way" project, specifically the Trans-Caspian Fiber-Optic cable line between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, and the strategic importance of the Middle Corridor and the Zangezur corridor for regional transport. "The Turkic world, which is our family, must become one of the influential geopolitical power centers of the 21st century," the President stated, reaffirming Azerbaijan's commitment to the organization's unity.
The Organization of Turkic States, formerly known as the Turkic Council, was established in 2009 as an intergovernmental organization comprising Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan, with Hungary, Turkmenistan, and Northern Cyprus as observers. The organization aims to promote comprehensive cooperation among Turkic-speaking states in areas such as economy, politics, culture, and security. The Turkistan summit serves as a platform for informal dialogue to accelerate integration and address contemporary global challenges like digitalization and regional logistics.
