BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 3. Azerbaijan’s
chairmanship in the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) is
proceeding at a high level, Secretary-General of OTS, Kubanychbek
Omuraliev, told Trend
in an exclusive interview following the meeting of heads of
government and vice presidents of the OTS member states in
Baku.


“The meeting of heads of government and vice presidents of the
OTS member states is practically a new mechanism for us. The first
such meeting took place last year in Bishkek,” he noted.


He further emphasized that cooperation among OTS countries has
been steadily strengthening in recent years. Ambassador Kubanychbek
Omuraliev highlighted that the Organization now operates 58
cooperation mechanisms spanning a wide range of fields, from
culture, youth policy, and tourism to foreign policy, economy,
customs, and even the space sector.


“While these mechanisms have significantly advanced our
cooperation, the active engagement of Heads of Government further
enhances their overall effectiveness. In this context, we
introduced this format last year. It not only strengthens
coordination and interaction among our countries, but also
contributes to the more effective implementation of the decisions
adopted by our Heads of State, while facilitating closer follow-up
on their execution,” he added.


The Secretary General noted that this format allows the OTS to
monitor decisions and ensures that initiatives are implemented
efficiently across member states. It has strengthened coordination
and accountability at the highest levels.


“At one stage, Kazakhstan put forward an initiative on the
liberalization of trade in services and investments, and work in
this direction is currently progressing actively. As all decisions
within our organization are taken by consensus. The presence of
different economic frameworks – such as the membership of
Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) –
may naturally require careful coordination of interests. In this
regard, it remains important to continue advancing this initiative
in a constructive and inclusive manner. Its realization would make
a meaningful contribution to increasing trade volumes and
facilitating the freer movement of investments, goods and services
within the Turkic region,” Kubanychbek Omuraliev said.


He highlighted that economic integration within the OTS remains
a priority, even when some members have overlapping commitments
with other regional organizations.


“The Turkic Investment Fund, established three years ago, has
made steady progress in finalizing its organizational and technical
arrangements and has already begun reviewing potential projects.
Financing will begin in the near future. Its main goal is to
provide support to small and medium-sized businesses. Moreover,
economic development is impossible without developing transport and
logistics infrastructure, so the investment fund pays special
attention to these areas,” he added.







Kubanychbek Omuraliev emphasized that supporting SMEs and
infrastructure projects is critical for sustainable growth and
long-term economic stability across the region.


“Azerbaijan is one of the founding members of our organization,
standing at its origins. Moreover, the organization itself was
founded in Nakhchivan. Azerbaijan’s chairmanship in the OTS is
proceeding at a high level. In October last year, the 12th Summit
of the Council of Heads of States of the OTS was successfully held
in Gabala under the theme “Regional Peace and Security”. In today’s
evolving global context, issues related to security continue to
hold particular importance. In this regard, all our Member and
Observer States are actively engaging and cooperating to further
strengthen coordination and dialogue,” he noted.


He stressed that Azerbaijan has played an important role in
advancing OTS initiatives, particularly in strengthening regional
security and fostering coordination among Member States.


“The Informal Summit of the OTS Member States will be held on
May 15 in Turkestan, Kazakhstan. Türkiye will soon announce the
venue and date of the 13th Summit. An OTS-related event is also
planned as part of the World Urban Forum in Baku. As we have a
memorandum of understanding with UN-Habitat, we will actively take
part in the Forum,” Kubanychbek Omuraliev said.


He added that the organization has been engaged with UN-Habitat
projects, reflecting its ongoing commitment to urban development
initiatives.


“We are a unique organization built on a shared history,
culture, heritage, language, as well as deep-rooted values. This
strong foundation enables us to maintain a high level of mutual
understanding and solidarity. While each of our Member States
pursues its own national priorities, we continue to engage in close
coordination and constructive dialogue in foreign policy and other
areas. In this spirit of cooperation, our partnership remains
characterized by unity, trust and brotherhood,” Kubanychbek
Omuraliev emphasized.


He concluded by underscoring the central importance of both
economic cooperation and security for the OTS. “The economy remains
a key pillar for our continued development and prosperity. At the
same time, security issues continue to hold a prominent place on
our common agenda. Guided by our motto, ‘Together we are Stronger’,
we remain committed to advancing our cooperation in a spirit of
unity and solidarity,” he stated.