Azerbaijan is one of the main players connecting the West and the East, Director of the Center for Institutional Analysis and Reforms of the Kazakhstan Institute for Social Development Rizzat Tasim told journalists, APA’s correspondent dispatched to Turkistan reports.
Rizzat Tasim said that the time has come to move the historical, spiritual and cultural potential possessed by the member countries of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) to a more practical level: “There are serious grounds for this. For example, according to the International Monetary Fund, based on the results of 2025, the GDP of the OTS member countries reached approximately $3 trillion. This constitutes 2 percent of the world GDP. In addition, just ten years ago no one took the Middle Corridor seriously. However, over the past few years, due to instability on external routes, cargo turnover along the Middle Corridor has increased fivefold, and mutual understanding between Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Türkiye contributes to the intensive development of this transport chain.”
Digitalization agenda at Turkistan Summit
“In addition, innovation and digitalization issues are also included in the agenda of the Turkistan Summit of the OTS. Indeed, this field can provide maximum benefit to the participating countries in a short period of time. Because this direction serves to reduce the existing institutional and technical barriers. For example, this includes issues of reducing customs declarations and bureaucratic procedures at customs. It is also about ensuring the security of cargo turnover along the route passing through the territories of the OTS countries. The main solution here is the integration of information databases. This means the analysis of data and the creation of unified standards for trade turnover. In addition, the application of financial digital tools serves to accelerate and improve trade turnover between countries. If the already existing cultural and spiritual foundation is strengthened by economic foundations, then considering that the world is currently entering a period of redistribution and restructuring of political and economic platforms, the OTS can already be regarded as a serious system-forming platform.”
Middle Corridor gains strategic importance
The political analyst noted that it is necessary to take into account the long-standing lack of interest in diversifying trade routes and established logistics corridors:
“For this reason, when the world and our region as a whole faced instability, we all felt its consequences. Now, both in Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, a deep understanding has emerged that the development and strengthening of our own routes are of strategic importance. For example, this includes both linking the Trans-Caspian route with the Middle Corridor and the project to lay an internet cable along the bottom of the Caspian Sea between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. These are mechanisms that strengthen national resilience.”
Azerbaijan strengthens integration within the OTS area
“In addition, integration is taking place not only at the political level, but also at the level of civil society. For example, last year Azerbaijan hosted the first summit of the civil society sector of the OTS countries. This year, the event will already be held for the second time. What does this show? It shows that rapprochement is taking place not only at the level of institutional mechanisms, but also at the level of civil society. It is precisely this synergy that can provide the necessary momentum to drive these processes forward in the future.”
OTS Investment Fund to focus on new projects
“After lengthy discussions within the OTS framework, the Investment Fund was finally established, and its total capital amounts to approximately $600 million. The main issue now is which joint projects these funds will be directed toward. The issue of digitalization will be one of the priority areas in the allocation of funds. Here, Azerbaijan truly stands as one of the key players connecting the West and the East. This function is being carried out at a high level by Azerbaijan, Türkiye, and Kazakhstan alike. We are currently at a stage where the participating countries clearly understand what needs to be built and how. That is the key point. President Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly stated that Turkic states hold special importance for Azerbaijan. This emotional and political will will provide additional impetus for the further strengthening of economic ties.”
Military-technical cooperation may expand
Rizzat Tasim noted that the OTS member states have accumulated significant experience both in domestic arms production and military practice, and that there is a platform for exchanging experience in this area:
“For example, Azerbaijan can offer a great deal to Kazakhstan in the military-technical sphere. Because Azerbaijan has real combat operation experience. This is of particular importance in terms of the combat readiness of the army. In the near future, military-technical cooperation between the OTS countries is likely to strengthen further, and joint exercises may be held.”
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