Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan evaluated the outcomes of the 12th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) held in Azerbaijan, emphasizing that the Turkic world continues to solidify its unity, institutional structure, and global influence.

Speaking to journalists aboard his return flight to Türkiye, Erdoğan highlighted the organization’s growing capacity to act as a unified international actor and its deepening cooperation in key strategic areas.

Marking the 16th anniversary of the Nakhchivan Agreement, which laid the foundation of the OTS, Erdoğan described the organization as “a family council that has achieved remarkable progress in a relatively short time.” He stated: “While strengthening its institutional framework, our organization has also made the common vision of the Turkic world more visible on a global scale. At today’s summit, we discussed an extensive agenda encompassing our sectoral, humanitarian, and cultural cooperation, as well as foreign policy.”

Erdoğan announced the creation of a new platform called “Organization of Turkic States Plus”, which aims to expand the group’s partnerships with other countries and international organizations.

He underlined that the Gabala Declaration, adopted at the summit, includes new initiatives in defence industry, energy, critical minerals, and interconnectivity. The declaration, he said, also reflected the common stance of Turkic states on pressing global issues such as Gaza, Syria, and the South Caucasus:  “We drafted the declaration specifically around the summit’s theme of regional peace and security. In it, we conveyed our shared approaches to priority foreign policy issues, including the stability processes in Gaza, Syria, and the South Caucasus. We have instructed our foreign ministers to meet more frequently to address regional and global developments.”

President Erdoğan also highlighted the growing role of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) within the OTS framework, noting a rise in direct contacts between the TRNC and member states since it gained observer status in 2022.

“We attach great importance to ensuring that the TRNC is represented at the highest level it deserves within our organization,” Erdoğan said. “As in the Budapest Summit, we reaffirmed our solidarity regarding the protection of the inherent rights of the Turkic world and Turkish Cypriots.”

He also announced that the necessary regulation to implement the TRNC’s observer membership in the Turkic Academy has been enacted, strengthening its role within the broader Turkic institutional network.

During the summit, Erdoğan and other leaders participated virtually in the groundbreaking ceremony of a mosque in Fuzuli, a joint project by Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, symbolizing spiritual unity across the Turkic world. He praised Turkmenistan’s new observer membership in the Turkic Academy and the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, calling it “a step that completes our family picture.”

Erdoğan concluded that the Organization of Turkic States continues to evolve into a global force representing not only political and economic interests but also the shared culture, history, and values of the Turkic nations.

“Our cooperation is deepening in every field — from culture to defence, from energy to education. The Turkic world, acting with solidarity and vision, is rising as a center of peace, stability, and power in the new global order.” (ILKHA)