Erdogan calls solidarity of Turkic states a 'strategic necessity' ahead of the Ankara summit

Article on the eve of the 13th summit

In an article published in leading media outlets of the member and observer states of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that, amid a 'profound transformation of global politics,' solidarity among Turkic states has become a 'strategic necessity.' The publication was timed to the organization's 13th summit, which will be held in Ankara under the motto 'The Turkic Century: Unity in Language, Thought and Deed.' Anadolu reported this.

Economic integration and the corridor

Among the organization's main priorities for the coming period, Erdogan named the economic integration of the Turkic world. According to him, the Trans-Caspian East-West Middle Corridor opens up a 'historic opportunity': at a time when trade between Asia and Europe is being restructured, the Turkic geography is capable of becoming one of the major hubs of the global transport and logistics network. He noted that railways, ports, road links and customs systems are developing as mutually complementary elements, and that every investment connecting the shores of the Caspian will increase trade between the countries. He also said the states will make more effective use of the Turkic Investment Fund, remove barriers in trade, and develop energy, communications infrastructure, and cooperation in production and technology.

Security, culture and the Cyprus issue

On security, Erdogan declared readiness to strengthen joint action against terrorism, transnational crime, cyber threats and natural disasters, as well as cooperation in the defense industry, including joint production. On the cultural front, he called the consensus on a common Turkic alphabet a 'historic step' toward closer ties and highlighted tasks in education, science, and 'a worthy place for Turkic languages in the age of artificial intelligence.' Separately, he addressed the Turkish Cypriots, calling them 'an integral part of the Turkic world,' and said Turkey will continue to seek, in its own wording, an end to the 'unjust isolation' and recognition of the sovereign equality of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which holds observer status in the OTS.

The chairmanship and the significance of the article

Erdogan said Turkey regards taking over the organization's chairmanship from Azerbaijan as a historic responsibility in achieving common goals and strengthening the OTS's institutional capacity. Since the piece is a programmatic article by the president on the eve of the summit, it sets out stated intentions and priorities rather than adopted decisions: the concrete outcomes of the 13th summit in Ankara will become known from its results.