BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 16. Azerbaijan's trade
turnover with the member countries of the Organization of Turkic
States (OTS) reached $2.1 billion from January through April
2026.
This was stated in the report by the Azerbaijani State Customs
Committee.
According to the report, despite a $295.6 million, or 12.3%,
decrease in the above indicator compared to the same period last
year, it demonstrates that the OTS area holds an important place in
Azerbaijan's foreign trade.
During the reporting period, trade with OTS countries accounted
for 12.07 % of Azerbaijan's total foreign trade turnover.
The largest trading partner was again Türkiye. In the first four
months, Azerbaijan-Türkiye trade turnover decreased by 5.2% to $1.8
billion. At the same time, trade turnover with Kyrgyzstan increased
by 1.9 times to $19.5 million. Trade turnover with Kazakhstan
decreased by 57% to $114.2 million, and with Uzbekistan decreased
by 30.1% to $51.2 million.
However, long-term dynamics indicate that economic integration
in the Turkic world is strengthening. Thus, in 2025, Azerbaijan's
total trade turnover with the OTS countries was $7.264 billion,
which is $371.1 million or 5.4 % more than in 2024. During that
period, the share of the OTS countries in Azerbaijan's total trade
increased to 14.5 %.
In 2025, Azerbaijan's trade turnover with Türkiye was $5.7
billion, with Kazakhstan $670.6 million, with Uzbekistan $795.2
million, and with Kyrgyzstan $77.2 million.
Shusha Forum brought competition cooperation to the
agenda
One of the new directions of economic integration among Turkic
states is cooperation in the field of competition policy.
On June 13, a Competition Forum was held in Shusha with the
participation of the heads of competition authorities of the member
states of the Organization of Turkic States. Representatives of
Azerbaijan, Türkiye, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Hungary,
and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus participated in the
event organized by the State Agency for Antimonopoly and Consumer
Market Control under the President of Azerbaijan.
Officials speaking at the forum emphasized the importance of
deepening economic integration among member states, harmonizing
competition policies, and expanding institutional cooperation.
The panel discussions reviewed issues of strengthening
coordination between competition authorities, forming a single
economic space, and ensuring the more efficient functioning of
markets.
Baku meeting explores new priorities for economic
cooperation
The second meeting of the heads of government and vice
presidents of the member states of the Organization of Turkic
States, held in Baku on April 2 this year, is considered an
important stage in terms of expanding economic cooperation.
The joint statement adopted at the end of the meeting identified
increasing trade between member and observer states, eliminating
non-tariff barriers, expanding investment cooperation, and
improving the business environment as the main priorities.
The document specifically emphasized energy security, green
energy projects, critical minerals, digital transformation,
artificial intelligence, transport corridors, and industrial
cooperation.
The OTS countries also declared their support for the
development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor
and their commitment to increasing the potential of the Middle
Corridor.
Ali Asadov: Azerbaijan's investments in OTS countries
reached $21 billion
Speaking at the Baku meeting, Prime Minister Ali Asadov said
that in recent years, economic cooperation within the OTS has been
demonstrating positive dynamics.
According to him, last year, Azerbaijan's trade turnover with
OTS countries increased by more than 5 %, and the total volume of
Azerbaijan's investments in member states reached $21 billion.
The prime minister noted that the geostrategic position of the
Turkic states and their location on transport routes connecting
Europe and Asia create important opportunities for further
expansion of economic cooperation.
Turkic Investment Fund and new economic
mechanisms
In his speech, Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz said that
the Turkic States Investment Fund will soon begin its financing
activities.
Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov proposed the
establishment of a Permanent Council for Economic Partnership of
the Organization of Turkic States. He also stressed the importance
of forming an Industrial Union of Turkic States and developing a
cooperation program on strategic minerals.
OTS Secretary General: Azerbaijan plays a leading role
within the organization
In an interview with Trend, the Secretary General of the
Organization of Turkic States, Kubanichbek Omuraliev, said that
Azerbaijan plays an important role within the organization.
According to him, President Ilham Aliyev's commitment to the
idea of Turkic unity creates a solid foundation for the future
development and consolidation of the OTS.
The Secretary General noted that Azerbaijan has become one of
the main centers connecting the Turkic states and the wider
geography with its large-scale projects in the energy and transport
sectors.
According to Omuraliev, the fact that the OTS countries rank
third in the world in terms of energy reserves further increases
the strategic importance of the organization. He cited the green
energy cooperation between Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan,
as well as the Green Energy Corridor project that will pass through
the Black Sea, as successful examples of cooperation.
Middle Corridor becomes one of the main pillars of OTS
cooperation
The Secretary General said that the Middle Corridor is currently
one of the main priorities of the OTS.
According to him, the volume of cargo transported through the
Middle Corridor in 2025 reached 4.7 million tons, and this figure
is expected to increase to 10 million tons by 2027.
OTS countries are accelerating digitalization in the field of
customs and logistics. In this context, the introduction of eTIR,
eCMR, and ePermit systems serves to accelerate cargo transportation
and simplify transit procedures.
Growth in trade volumes indicates deeper
integration
According to experts, despite the statistical changes observed
in different periods, the expansion of cooperation in the fields of
trade, investment, transport, energy, and digital economy in the
OTS space in recent years indicates an increase in the economic
integration potential of the organization.
Trade liberalization, the launch of the Turkic Investment Fund,
the development of the Central Corridor, green energy, and digital
economy projects may provide additional impetus to the further
deepening of economic relations between the OTS countries in the
coming years.
