Azernews.Az

By News Centre

Leaders of the member countries of the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS) made important decisions in the economic, cultural, and political fields at an informal summit held in Budapest.

Azernews reports that the Informal Summit of the Organisation of Turkic States was held in the Hungarian capital, Budapest, on May 21.

The meeting, held under the theme "The Meeting Point of East and West," was attended by the leaders of Azerbaijan, Turkiye, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and the Secretary General of the Turkic World Organisation, Kubanıçbek Omuraliyev. The summit was hosted by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

The Budapest Informal Summit went down in history as the first summit of the TPT held on the European continent and in the territory of an observer member country.

The "Budapest Declaration" was signed within the framework of the meeting. The document reflects concrete steps towards expanding cooperation in the fields of trade, energy, transport, digital transformation, cultural relations, and regional security. Omuraliyev called this declaration a "strategic roadmap" and said that it would further strengthen solidarity among Turkic states.

The summit proposed and adopted a joint celebration of Nowruz in the Turkic world. At the initiative of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Nowruz will now be celebrated as a joint day of remembrance under the flag of the Organisation of Turkic States.

Other important decisions taken at the summit include:

• Uzbekistan's participation in the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation has been confirmed. This step is considered a new stage in the preservation and promotion of the rich heritage of the Turkic world.

• It has been decided to appoint an executive director to the TDT office in Hungary. This decision aims to strengthen the organization's institutional presence in Europe.

• A joint statement by the UN Security Council on Afghanistan was adopted. The statement expressed the organization's coordinated and common approach to the situation in the country.

• It has been decided to admit the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to the Turkish Academy as an observer member. This decision is seen as part of the TRNC's broader integration into the Turkic world.

• The extension of the term of office of the Secretary General of the TDT was also approved.

Within the framework of the summit, Nobel Prize laureate Prof. Dr. Aziz Sancar, one of the prominent representatives of the Turkic World, was awarded the Ali Shir Nevai International Award of the Organization of Turkic States. This award is an indication of the importance given to his commitment to Turkish identity and values, in addition to his services in the field of science.

Secretary General Omuraliyev said in his speech that the Turkic World is becoming a power of global importance not only geographically, but also economically, culturally, and strategically. He noted that the Central Corridor, the Turkish Investment Fund, and green-digital transformation initiatives will play an important role in the future integration of the organization.

It was emphasized at the summit that the Organization of Turkic States is not just a cooperation platform, but a strong union that acts with a common voice for common values, a common history, and a common future.

It should be noted that the Turkic World currently covers a population of 175 million and a vast territory of 4.5 million square kilometers. According to statistical indicators for 2024, the combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the TUT countries exceeded $2.1 trillion, and the volume of mutual trade exceeded $1.1 trillion. The next—the 12th official summit of the Organization of Turkic States—will be held in Azerbaijan.