Organization of Turkic States

History

In 1991, with the emergence of five independent Turkic states—Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan—on the international stage, intensive diplomatic engagements commenced among the six Turkic states. The first Summit of Turkic Speaking Countries was held in Ankara in 1992, and between 1994 and 2000, five summits of heads of state were organized. The 7th Summit took place in Istanbul in 2001, while the 8th Summit was convened in Antalya, Türkiye after a hiatus of 5.5 years, following Turkish initiatives. The 9th Summit of Heads of State of Turkic Speaking Countries was held on 2–3 October 2009 in Nakhchivan, Azerbaijan. During this summit, within the framework of the Nakhchivan Agreement signed by Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, the establishment of an international organization called the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States (Turkic Council) was decided.

According to Halil Akıncı, the founding Secretary-General of the organization, the Turkic Council became the first voluntary alliance of Turkic states in history.

In 2012, the flag of the Turkic Council was adopted at its 2nd Summit, which took place in Bishkek on 23 August 2012, and officially raised on 12 October 2012. The flag combines the symbols of the four founding member states: the light blue color of the flag of Kazakhstan, which also evokes the traditional Turkic color of turquoise, the sun of the flag of Kyrgyzstan, the star of the flag of Azerbaijan, and the crescent of the Turkish flag.

On 30 April 2018, it was announced that Uzbekistan would join the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States and attend the upcoming summit of the organization in Bishkek. It formally applied for membership on 12 September 2019.

Since late 2018, Hungary has been an observer and may request full membership. Turkmenistan received observer status in 2021.

In November 2021, the organization was renamed the Organization of Turkic States.

The member states' increased focus on mutual security and strategic alignment marks a significant shift in regional dynamics, positioning the OTS as a central player in shaping the security architecture of the Turkic world.

Of great importance is the comprehensive structure of the Union of Municipalities of the Turkic World, in which local governments from 30 countries and regions are represented. The 6th Congress of the Union of Municipalities of the Turkic World was held in Istanbul on 10 June 2022.

In 2022, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was admitted to the organization as an observer.

In September 2024 it was reported that the Commission on the Common Alphabet of the Turkic World, which is an arm of the OTS, had agreed on a common alphabet of 34 letters based on the Latin alphabet in an effort to transition away from the Cyrillic which had been imposed when under Soviet rule. TURKPA member Professor Nizami Jafarov of Baku State University made the announcement. The project for a common Turkic alphabet based on Latin was first proposed in 1991 after the dissolution of the USSR.

Purpose

Nominally, the Preamble of the Nakhchivan Agreement reaffirms the will of Member States to adhere to the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, and defines the main objective of the Organization of Turkic States as further deepening comprehensive cooperation among Turkic Speaking States, as well as making joint contributions to peace and stability in the region and in the world. Member States have nominally confirmed their commitment to democratic values, human rights, the rule of law, and principles of good governance.

The Nakhchivan Agreement sets out the main purposes and tasks of the Organization as follows:

• Strengthening mutual confidence and friendship among the Parties;
• Developing common positions on foreign policy issues;
• Coordinating actions to combat international terrorism, separatism, extremism and cross-border crimes;
• Promoting effective regional and bilateral cooperation in all areas of common interest;
• Creating favorable conditions for trade and investment;
• Aiming for comprehensive and balanced economic growth, social and cultural development;
• Expanding interaction in the fields of science, technology, education, health, culture, sports and tourism;
• Encouraging interaction of mass media and other means of communication;
• Strengthening cooperation and integration between member states;
• Promoting exchange of relevant legal information and enhancing legal cooperation.

Structure and operation

Main organs of the Organization of Turkic States include:

• Council of Heads of State
• Council of Foreign Ministers
• Senior Officials Committee
• Council of Elders (Aksakals)
• The Secretariat The main decision-making and governing body of the Organization of Turkic States is the Council of Heads of State, which is presided over by the President whose country holds the chairmanship. The chairmanship rotates on an annual basis. All activities of the Organization of Turkic States are coordinated and monitored by its Secretariat, which is located in Istanbul in accordance with the Nakhchivan Agreement. Presidents meet once a year in a previously determined Turkic city.

The Council of Elders serves as a permanent advisory body within the Organization of Turkic States and embodies the tradition of drawing wisdom and guidance from forebears, a practice rooted in Turkic cultures. At the 8th Summit held in Istanbul, the regulations governing the Council were renewed by the Heads of State to enhance its effectiveness, reflecting the commitment to benefit from the experiences of elder members.

Senior officials, Aksakals, as well as other Ministers and government officials, all meet on a regular basis.

Affiliated bodies and organizations

OTS functions as an umbrella for organizations like:

• the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States (TURKPA) (administrative capital in Baku)
• the International Organization of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY) (administrative capital in Ankara)
• the Turkic Academy (administrative capital in Astana)
• Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation (administrative capital in Baku)
• Center of Nomadic Civilizations (administrative capital in Bishkek)
• Turkic Business Council (administrative capital in Istanbul)

International cooperation

OTS is an observer at the Economic Cooperation Organization and has also applied for an observer status at the UN and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. Besides, OTS maintains close cooperative relations with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia.

Projects

Since its founding agreement defines comprehensive cooperation among Turkic states as the organization's main objective and raison d'être, the Organization of Turkic States is working on a variety of projects. The projects are grouped under six cooperation processes, which are: economy, culture, education, transport, customs, and diaspora. Examples of the projects include establishing the Turkic University Union and writing a common history textbook. The Organization of Turkic States also works on ways to boost economic development in underdeveloped regions of Member States. The Secretariat brings together Economy Ministers, Education Ministers, Transport Ministers, Heads of Customs Administrations, and other senior officials from different ministries and agencies in order to work on ways to promote cooperation in relevant spheres. Prior to being brought before ministers and heads of administrations, projects and issues of cooperation are elaborated by working groups. One recently launched project is the establishment of a mechanism for closer cooperation among Turkic diasporas all over the world.

Joint investment fund

In November 2020, Kyrgyz Minister of Foreign Affairs Ruslan Kazakbaev pointed that Organization of Turkic States members have to strengthen their economic relations, they have to establish a joint investment fund and build its center on Kyrgyzstan on his meeting with Turkish Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu. Baghdad Amreyev visited Minister of Treasury and Finance of Turkey Lütfi Elvan and sides talked about establishment of Joint Investment Fund. In September 2021, on meeting of Turkic ministers responsible for the economy, sides negotiated about a Turkic Joint Investment Fund feasibility work and agreement to establish the fund.

Common Alphabet

In September 2022, on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the Language Festival, the Organization of Turkic States decided to establish a "Common Alphabet Commission" within the body of OTS for a unified alphabet of the Turkic world. During the event, scientists from the Turkic states gave information about the alphabets and historical processes used in their own countries, and thus it was emphasized that the transition processes to the common alphabet should be accelerated, and the application should be widespread. The commission, which will hold its first meeting in Kyrgyzstan, will observe the work of the common alphabet and report to the Council of Elders.

Simplified Customs Corridor

On 11 November 2022, in the city of Samarkand, the member countries of the Organization of Turkic States signed an agreement "On the establishment of simplified customs corridor". Azerbaijan was the first member country to enact the agreement, in May 2023 the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a law creating the simplified customs corridor.

Summits

Main article: List of Turkic Speaking States summits, List of Turkic Council summits

Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the newly independent Turkic States of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan as well as Turkey organized Summits of the Heads of Turkic Speaking States, the first of which took place in 1992 in Ankara. With the establishment of Turkic Council, at the 10th Summit it was decided to rename the top-level meetings to Turkic Council Summits.

Turkic Council Summit is the highlight of the year whereby Heads of State evaluate outcomes of the past period and set goals for the next year. The First Summit took place in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on 20–21 October 2011 and focused primarily on economic cooperation. The Second Summit was held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on 22–23 August 2012 and concentrated on educational, scientific, and cultural cooperation. The Third Summit took place on 15–16 August 2013 in Qabala, Azerbaijan with a theme of transport and connectivity.

On 15 October 2019, the Seventh Turkic Council Summit was organized in Baku with the participation of Presidents of member states Ilham Aliyev, Sooronbai Jeenbekov, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, as well as Purli Agamyradov as a guest, Viktor Orban as an observer and heads of Turkic cooperation institutions. The participants celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Nakhchivan Agreement on the establishment of the Turkic Council in addition to Uzbekistan's joining the organization as a full-fledged member. The title of Honorary Chairman of the Turkic Council was given to the former President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev. In the conclusion of the Summit, the Heads of States signed the Baku Declaration. Besides, the presidency in the Council officially passed to Azerbaijan.

At the 8th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), held on November 12, 2021, the Heads of State adopted the “Turkic World Vision 2040” document. This document delineates the objectives, priorities, and operational principles of the OTS, aiming to enhance political, economic, cultural, scientific, and technological cooperation among its member states.

The Twelfth Summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) was held in Gabala on 7 October 2025, hosted by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, under the theme “Regional Peace and Security”. During the summit, leaders signed the "Gabala Declaration," which introduced the "OTS+" format to institutionalize cooperation with non-member partner states. Additionally, marking a significant step in defense collaboration, the member states agreed to conduct the organization's first joint military exercises in 2026.

At the Gabala Summit, Kyrgyzstan handed over the Chairmanship-in-Office of the Organization to Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan will hold the Chairmanship until the next Summit, which will be held in Türkiye in 2026. The Informal Summit of the Organization is scheduled to take place in Kazakhstan in 2026.

Extraordinary Summit

The Extraordinary Summit of the Turkic Council focused on the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic was conducted through videoconferencing by the initiative of the chairman of the organization Ilham Aliyev on 10 April 2020. The conference titled "Cooperation and solidarity in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic" was held with the participation of the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus along with the heads of states of the member countries. Participants discussed the measures taken at the national level to fight against the coronavirus epidemic, to improve multilateral cooperation in the field of healthcare, and to undertake the common challenges caused by the outbreak of COVID-19. Exchanging views on the ways of overcoming negative effects of coronavirus on the national and global economies, they touched upon trade relations and continuous transportation, and they entrusted the Ministries of Commerce and Transport of the member States with reviewing the process via videoconferencing and with presenting practical solutions for the free flow of goods among Turkic Council states across the Trans-Caspian Corridor. An 18-point list of mutual priorities of all member nations was outlined in the Baku Declaration.

Members

Current

Observers

Additionally, Economic Cooperation Organization has been granted an observer status in 2023, making Iran, Pakistan and Tajikistan indirect observers.

Possible future members and observers

In 2020, Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Ceppar, who is of Crimean Tatar descent, stated Ukraine wanted to be an observer. Crimea is the homeland of the Crimean Tatars.

Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu announced that Turkmenistan, currently an observer state, could become a full member during the 2022 Organization of Turkic States summit.

Former applicants

On 3 May 2021, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan officially applied for observer status. However, with its overthrow by the Taliban and the re-establishment of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in August that year, the status of its application for observer status is uncertain.

Events

List of secretaries-general

List of chairmen

According to article 8 of the Nakhchivan Agreement, the state that hosts the regular summit, will assume the chairmanship until next meeting.

Leaders of member states

File:Ilham_Aliyev_in_2023.jpg|Azerbaijan Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev President of Azerbaijan File:Касым-Жомарт_Токаев_(28-09-2021)(cropped_3).jpg|KAZ Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev President of Kazakhstan File:Садыр_Жапаров(05-11-2021).jpg|KGZ Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov President of Kyrgyzstan File:Recep_Tayyip_Erdoğan_2021_(cropped).jpg|Turkey Republic of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan President of Turkey File:Shavkat Mirziyoyev official portrait (cropped 2).jpg|UZB Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev President of Uzbekistan

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