Kazakhstan chairs first meeting of OTS Central Banks Council

President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev chaired the first OTS Central Banks Council meeting in Astana, calling for greater financial cooperation amid global economic shifts.

The first meeting of the Council of Central Banks of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) was held in Astana, chaired by Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

In his opening remarks, Tokayev stressed the need to deepen cooperation among OTS countries amid global economic transformation driven by shifting trade policies. He noted that the region’s share of global GDP grew from 2.4% in 2010 to 3.1%, reflecting increased macroeconomic stability.

President Tokayev highlighted that financial cooperation could boost broader economic ties, with central banks playing a key role. He emphasized the importance of topics on the Council’s agenda, such as monetary policy, digital currencies, and fintech development.

Kazakhstan, he said, has led in this field, with cashless payments reaching 85% of all transactions and the successful launch of the region’s first central bank digital currency - the digital tenge. New regulations are expected soon to govern digital assets, including cryptocurrencies and tokenized instruments.

Heads of central banks from Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Türkiye, Uzbekistan, Hungary, and Kazakhstan also took part in the meeting.

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