On October 6–7, Gabala hosts the 12th Summit of the Council of Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS). The official theme — “Regional Peace and Security” — goes far beyond a declarative slogan: it reflects an emerging comprehensive architecture of resilience that unites the political, economic, and institutional dimensions of cooperation among the Turkic states.
Azerbaijan’s choice as both host and conceptual author of the summit is no coincidence. Amid growing global turbulence — with conflicts flaring near the borders of OTS members and observers, and great-power competition intensifying — Baku proposes to view security not as rhetoric but as a system of mutual obligations founded on trust, institutional coordination, and economic interdependence.
From a Turkic Idea to Political Maturity
Since the concept of Turkic integration was proclaimed at the Nakhchivan Summit in 2009, the Organization has evolved from a cultural format into a full-fledged political-economic platform. Beginning in the 2020s, the dynamics of the post-Soviet space compelled regional elites to rethink foreign-policy and security approaches and to seek internal drivers of growth.
During this period, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan strengthened their political weight and became the key drivers of integration. Today, under the OTS brand, all major Trans-Caspian initiatives are consolidated — the Middle Corridor transport route, the Trans-Caspian Energy Cable, and the modernization of ports and shipbuilding capacities. Together they form the infrastructural backbone of a new economic space stretching from China to the European Union.
Security as the New Axis of Cooperation
A new logic of Turkic integration is taking shape in Gabala: security is no longer a purely national category but an element of collective responsibility.
At the Istanbul Summit, held shortly after the 44-day war, President Ilham Aliyev was the first to propose incorporating security issues into the OTS institutional agenda. The goal was not to build a military alliance or oppose external actors, but to create mechanisms of coordination — from intelligence sharing and joint counter-terrorism programs to strengthening border and cyber security.
This initiative marked a turning point: OTS now regards security as a platform for cooperation rather than a zone of confrontation. The concept of “responsible neutrality”, promoted by a number of analysts, reflects the aspiration of the Turkic states to act independently of external blocs while maintaining balance and predictability.
Economic Interdependence as a Tool of Resilience
The economy remains the key factor of consolidation. Integration projects not only stimulate trade growth but also build a network of mutual responsibility among participants.
The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) plays a central role in this model. Its investments in petrochemistry, energy, and transport in Türkiye have become the foundation of the strategic Baku–Ankara alliance. In Uzbekistan, SOCAR is implementing joint projects with Uzbekneftegaz, including a production-sharing agreement for fields on the Ustyurt Plateau, with total investments of about USD 2 billion.
Meanwhile, Kazakhstan’s GreenMet Investments is launching an HBI (Hot Briquetted Iron) plant in Azerbaijan with an annual capacity of 2 million tons, strengthening industrial cooperation and creating hundreds of jobs.
At the same time, the Turkic Investment Fund (TIF) — established in 2023 with an initial capital of USD 500 million — is gaining momentum. Hungary later added USD 100 million, bringing the Fund’s capitalization to USD 600 million. TIF is expected to become the financial core of integration, supporting joint projects of small and medium-sized enterprises.
Despite the positive trend, intra-Turkic trade still accounts for only about 7 percent of total external turnover (USD 58 billion in 2024). By comparison, intra-EAEU trade exceeds 13 percent and continues to grow.
The main constraints lie in overlapping memberships — some OTS countries participate in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) or CIS frameworks — and in Türkiye’s unique position within the EU Customs Union. Yet these complexities push the Organization toward flexible coordination mechanisms, where economic cooperation complements rather than duplicates existing agreements.
The growth pace remains impressive: trade between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan reached USD 517 million in the first seven months of 2025, while trade with Uzbekistan exceeded USD 200 million between January and May — a 40 percent year-on-year increase. The joint Azerbaijani–Uzbek Investment Company is financing 15 projects worth over USD 360 million — from a textile cluster to a new Chevrolet plant in the Hajigabul Industrial Park.
Toward Institutional Maturity: Economy + Security
The experience of recent years shows that economic integration and collective security are two sides of the same system. Infrastructure interdependence reduces destabilization risks, while security creates the environment for long-term investment.
Thus, OTS is transforming into an “architect of stability” in Central Eurasia. The Organization is no longer perceived as a peripheral structure but as an autonomous diplomatic actor — a bridge between East and West, North and South.
Such a role requires not just common declarations but the institutionalization of processes: establishing coordination centers for information exchange, developing joint standards for cyber and energy security, and creating legal frameworks to support business and investment activities.
Conclusion
The Gabala Summit marks a transition from the rhetoric of unity to the practice of strategic design. Azerbaijan’s proposal to establish a comprehensive security framework within OTS symbolizes a new phase — one in which security, economy, and diplomacy are integrated into a coherent model of regional governance.
If in the 2010s Turkic integration was associated primarily with cultural and humanitarian cooperation, today it is emerging as a self-sustaining Eurasian system of resilience — capable not only of adapting to external crises but also of shaping its own rules of interaction.
Gabala 2025 is therefore more than a venue for a summit; it represents the institutional coming-of-age of the Turkic world. Here, security is understood as responsibility, the economy as interdependence, and integration as an instrument of regional agency.
At a time when Eurasia once again becomes a field of geopolitical competition, the Organization of Turkic States offers an alternative path — one of practical solidarity, grounded in its own resources, mutual trust, and a long-term strategy for development.
