Leaders of the Group of Turkish States (OTS) introduced at a summit in Kazakhstan that they’re advancing the Eurasian Joint Power in direction of strategic, political and financial alignment of the alliance amid fast world geopolitical and technological developments, whereas stressing that their alliance will not be geared toward army or geopolitical targets.
Leaders from Kazakhstan, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and others gathered within the historic Kazakh metropolis of Turkestan, the non secular capital of the Turkish world, to collaborate on designing AI and digital joint improvement and integration for member states and the broader area, in addition to to assist Turkish international locations collaborate on a bunch of different world provide routes and connections to world power disruption routes.
The OTS Summit, held beneath the theme “Synthetic Intelligence and Digital Growth”, was hosted by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and introduced collectively counterparts from Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Uzbekistan’s Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Azerbaijan’s Ilham Aliyev, Kyrgyzstan’s Sadyr Zaparov, and the United Nations Secretary-Basic. OTS, Ambassador Kubanichbek Omraliev, thanked the President of Uzbekistan for the strategic cooperation, which can attain a complete financial potential of $2.4 trillion in 2025, as introduced by the President of Uzbekistan.
The leaders despatched a strong message of unity by posing hand in hand in entrance of the mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, constructed within the 14th century and now an necessary non secular landmark for Kazakhstan and the complete Turkish world. It additionally stands as a logo of Türkiye’s heritage of commerce and cultural cooperation alongside the historic Silk Street.
“For us, strengthening the unity of the Turkish world is a vital precedence,” Kazakhstan’s Tokayev stated, refuting claims that larger cooperation between Turkish international locations may have army or geopolitical dimensions.
“The Turkish State Group is neither a geopolitical venture nor a army group. It’s a distinctive platform for strengthening commerce, financial, high-tech, digital, cultural and humanitarian cooperation between brotherly states,” Tokayev stated, outlining the nation’s diplomatic stance in direction of cooperation and progress relatively than competitors.
OTS Secretary-Basic Omraliev is pushing for what he calls large-scale regional integration throughout the Turkic world, telling Euronews: “Every sector is linked to AI and digital improvement, and nobody can proceed alone on this space. That’s the reason we’ve agreed to cooperate in a minimal of 58 areas of digital and AI.”
“For instance, we’ve our personal initiatives within the discipline of transport and logistics, through which we plan to introduce digital permits, help for small and medium-sized enterprises and different mechanisms,” Omraliev stated.
The “E-Allow” venture will simplify freight transport methods and procedures between member international locations and strengthen regional connectivity.
Kazakh President Tokayev stated Turkish international locations have to step up efforts in digital transformation “to keep away from remaining on the sidelines of progress.”
Stuffed with digital initiatives
Mr. Tokayev and all of the presidents current introduced a number of initiatives to advertise digital cooperation, together with the institution of joint AI facilities in Turkish provinces, cooperation within the discipline of cybersecurity, the implementation of UN-led digital initiatives, and the institution of a brand new synthetic intelligence college for college students of Turkish descent.
“Within the period of technological competitors, digital transformation and synthetic intelligence should make sure the frequent progress of the Turkish world,” Tokayev stated.
Mr. Mirziyoyev introduced the “5 Million AI Leaders” program, which envisions future jobs associated to new digital developments, and the institution of a three way partnership fund for youth startup initiatives by Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan as a part of the 2 international locations’ main schooling initiatives.
He additionally proposed a strategic cooperation community within the discipline of AI to construct what he referred to as a unified digital area throughout Turkish international locations and develop a “Digital Turkey Hall” to help regional information alternate and technological evolution.
“We now have been sharing digital initiatives with different Turkish international locations,” Zaslan Madyev, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Synthetic Intelligence and Digital Growth, informed Euronews.
“Kazakhstan is creating within the discipline of on-line providers and is included among the many high 10 international locations within the United Nations Digital Providers Index and among the many 24 most superior international locations within the discipline of on-line service platforms, which we want to share,” Madyev stated.
President Aliyev of Azerbaijan stated, “The world is getting into a brand new stage of improvement,” and “Turkish international locations should play a number one position on this course of,” including that “the implementation of the Digital Silk Street venture between Europe and Asia is underway.”
“And as a part of this venture, a trans-Caspian fiber optic cable line between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan will likely be put into operation within the coming months,” he added.
Madiyev informed Euronews that the fiber optic venture “will assist entice massive tech firms and hyperscalers to safe sources of computing energy in our nation.”
Türkiye, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan are additionally collectively creating a scientific satellite tv for pc referred to as CubeSat, scheduled to be launched subsequent yr.
“Every nation can contribute its personal expertise, which can change into a scientific satellite tv for pc that we hope to launch subsequent yr. Over time, it might change into a part of a broader constellation of satellites,” Madiyev defined.
Strategic priorities for transport routes
OTS International Ministers met individually and labored collectively to collaborate on plans for the event of worldwide transport routes, with the Central Hall as the middle of regional focus.
Each Presidents emphasised the necessity to kind a united entrance to deal with fast world geopolitical developments and take the lead in world power safety alternatives.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan referred to as for “the strategic worth of the Turkish world’s united motion,” referring to the “crises occurring in our speedy area,” and stated that “the Turkish world has acquired a excessive diploma of reflexivity within the face of frequent issues.”
“As the continued disaster centered on the Strait of Hormuz has proven, transport initiatives interconnecting the Turkish world, particularly the Center Hall, will stay a precedence for us. The crises in Palestine, Lebanon, Iran, Ukraine and lots of others have proven us the necessity to strengthen our protection and strengthen cooperation within the industrial sector,” Erdoğan stated.
A strategic precedence for OTS international locations, the Intermediate Hall, also called the Trans-Caspian Worldwide Transport Route (TITR), is a rail and sea transport community connecting China and Southeast Asia, by way of Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Georgia, to Turkey and Europe.
“Our household, the Turkish world, should rework into one of many influential geopolitical energy facilities of the twenty first century,” Aliyev stated.
Aliyev highlighted how Turkish international locations’ cooperation within the transport sector is increasing, saying, “Within the present world geopolitical setting, the significance of intermediate corridors is even larger.”
“The Zangezur Hall, which is shifting in direction of realization, will likely be one of many necessary segments of the Intermediate Hall.”
Uzbekistan’s President Mirziyoyev stated cooperation between Turkish international locations is a long-term strategic precedence whereas discussing with Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Japarov the acceleration of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway venture, which can change into an necessary transport and connectivity route in Central Asia.
“Our talks happen at a time of heightened tensions world wide. Belief in worldwide relations is waning, and the position and affect of world establishments is declining. These challenges require us to accentuate dialogue and develop unified positions on necessary points,” Mirziyoyev stated.
The President of Uzbekistan emphasised that the affect of OTS is rising and that its whole financial potential will attain $2.4 trillion in 2025.
OTS was based in 2009, is headquartered in Istanbul, and has 5 member international locations: Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan.
