The 12th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) Council of Heads of State, held in Gabala, under the theme “Regional Peace and Security,” laid the foundation for a new stage in the deepening integration of the Turkic world, strengthening collective security, and enhancing economic cooperation.

Vusala Jafarova, Head of the Turkic World Research Center (TWRC) of the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication (CAERC), stated that this Summit is not merely a diplomatic event but a strategic manifestation of the political, economic, and cultural revival of Turkic civilization in the 21st century. As President Ilham Aliyev emphasized, Azerbaijan has become one of the central pillars of the OTS. By contributing 2 million USD to the Secretariat, our country has provided significant support for the institutional strengthening of the Organization.
Azerbaijan’s internal stability, strategic geographic position, logistics and transport capacities, and growing military-technical potential make the OTS a more influential actor on the global stage.

President Ilham Aliyev described the Zangezur Corridor as a new strategic route within both the Middle Corridor and the North–South transport corridors. This route will serve as a “Turkic Gateway,” laying the foundation for an integrated economic and logistical space across Eurasia.

Vusala Jafarova noted that Azerbaijan has increased cargo transportation along the Middle Corridor by approximately 90 percent over the past two years. This growth is supported by infrastructure such as the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway, 9 international airports, and the largest commercial fleet in the Caspian Sea. The annual capacity of the Alat International Sea Trade Port is expected to reach 25 million tons in the coming years, further strengthening Azerbaijan’s position as a global transport hub.

Azerbaijan currently exports natural gas to 14 countries and ranks as a global leader in terms of the geographical coverage of its pipeline network. At the same time, the country aims to generate 40 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2030. In this context, Azerbaijan, together with Georgia, Romania, and Hungary, is implementing the Green Energy Corridor project. The subsea cable section across the Black Sea, which is 1,100 km long, envisions the transmission of green energy from the Caspian region to Europe, with participation from the Turkic states in Central Asia through the Caspian Sea. Baku is actively promoting initiatives to involve Turkic states in this project. Azerbaijan is investing 3 billion USD in 10 renewable energy projects and plans to create an additional 2 GW of capacity.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in his speech at the Summit, described the adoption of the “OTS Plus” format as a new phase in the international relations of the Turkic world. He noted that through this format, the OTS will be able to create synergy with other international organizations and act from a unified position within the global system.

It has become a necessity to deepen cooperation among Turkic states in the field of defense and to demonstrate a unified stance amid the current crisis in international law. Therefore, supporting integration across all areas—including defense industry and technological cooperation—was reflected in the declaration signed at the end of the Summit.

To date, Azerbaijan has invested more than 20 billion USD in the economies of Turkic states, with the majority directed toward the Turkish economy.
At the same time, joint investment funds have been established between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan, and work continues on financing new projects.

In the field of culture, Azerbaijan has proposed to solemnly celebrate within the OTS framework in 2026 the 100th anniversary of the First Turkological Congress held in Baku in 1926. This initiative aims to further strengthen common linguistic and cultural identity.

The Gabala Summit demonstrated that Azerbaijan, based on the philosophy of “One Nation – Many States,” has become the driving force of political, economic, energy, and security integration within the Turkic world. The Gabala Declaration of the OTS marks the next strategic step toward transforming the Turkic states into a unified power center. Initiatives such as the Zangezur Corridor, the Green Energy Corridor, and the “OTS Plus” format will strengthen the global actor status of the Turkic world and solidify Azerbaijan’s leadership role for the decades ahead.