It should be noted that Uzbekistan has a special significance in the Turkic world, and since it is one of the main countries of Central Asia, no issue in the region can be resolved without its participation.

The first summit of the Organization of Turkic States will be held in Samarkand on November 11. Last year, at the summit held in Istanbul, it was decided to rename the Turkic Council into the Organization of Turkic States. The members of the organization are Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Türkiye and Uzbekistan. Hungary and Turkmenistan have observer status in the Organization. Uzbekistan, which is the largest country in Central Asia by population, became a member of the Organization for the first time in 2019. Today, not only openness, but also the principle of multifaceted cooperation is a priority of Uzbekistan’s foreign policy. We see this, first of all, by how active our country’s participation in regional and interregional integration processes has become.

Cooperation of the Turkic world structures strengthens

In 1996, at a high-level conference in Tashkent, it was decided to establish the Secretariat of the Turkic-Speaking Summit, whose headquarters are located in Istanbul. The International Organization of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY) has been functioning under the auspices of the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking Countries since July 12, 1993. On November 21, 2008, the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic Speaking Countries was established in Baku. On May 25, 2010, the International Scientific Center for Research, Wide Study of Language and Literature, Deepening of Scientific and Educational Activities of the Turkic World – the International Turkic Academy – started operating in Astana. The Academy has five scientific institutions – the Center for History and Ethnology, the Center for Language, Literature and Terminology, the Center for Art and Culture, the Center for Socio-Economic Research, the Center for International Studies, and the Foundation for Turkish Culture and Heritage. At the same time, a subsidiary body of the Council of Entrepreneurs has been created, which provides an opportunity to strengthen cooperation between business circles and entrepreneurs.

Huge economic space for Uzbekistan products

Even though Uzbekistan has been demonstrating the dynamics of socio-economic growth in recent years, and that in this regard it has a huge untapped potential, it is difficult for it to develop in the global political arena alone. Uzbekistan, located in the heart of Central Asia, has established close relations with all the neighboring countries of the region and supports them. This is confirmed by the fact that Uzbekistan has a positive impact on the development of the Organization of Turkic States and actively participates in its activities at various levels. The Organization of the Turkic States has played an important role in the intensification of transit and transport links between the countries. For example, in July 2019, with the participation of the heads of the governments of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, the international highway Beineu – Akjigit – border of Uzbekistan was opened. It was a shorter way for Uzbekistan products to enter the markets of Azerbaijan and Türkiye. The consumer markets of Türkiye and Uzbekistan are the largest among the member countries of the Organization. Therefore, the opening of optimal transport routes is considered an important direction for all members of the Organization. The main goal of the OTS, located in the heart of Eurasia, covering a geographical area of about 5 million square kilometers, is to develop cooperation between member states in many areas, including foreign policy, economy, transport, customs, tourism, education, sports, and media, and this can be interpreted as strengthening peace and stability in the region. Uzbekistan’s accession to the Organization of Turkic States at the Istanbul Summit in 2021 has opened up more opportunities than ever to promote regional and global peace, stability and prosperity.

Uzbekistan’s initiatives 

During the creation of the structure, Uzbekistan was not only an active participant, but also one of its initiators. The wise foreign policy of the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, aimed at strengthening open and constructive interaction with neighboring, fraternal countries and several regional organizations, played a decisive role in establishing relations within the framework of the Turkic Council. A historic step in this direction became the participation of the Head of the state as an honorary guest at the summit held in Cholpon-Ata on September 3, 2018. On September 14, 2019, Uzbekistan ratified the Nakhichevan Agreement and officially joined the structure in October of the same year. At the summits within the framework of the Organization, the President of Uzbekistan each time actively promotes several initiatives for the development of economic, investment, trade, transport-communication and logistics systems, innovations, support for youth, improvement of the healthcare system, ensuring industrial cooperation and food security, pilgrimage tourism, which serve not only the economic development of Uzbekistan, but also the interests of cooperation of our peoples. After all, the rapid development of these priority areas will serve the general well-being of our people and improve the standard of living of the population. During the Samarkand Summit of the Organization of Turkic States, several documents aimed at improving the effectiveness of cooperation and strengthening multifaceted partnerships in several priority areas will be adopted. Meetings and dialogues will be organized to further expand relations in trade, economy, digital technologies, transport and communications, as well as cultural-humanitarian exchange.

Omonulla Muhammedjanov,

Professor of Tashkent State University of Law,

UzA