Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz has hailed the growing importance of the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS) amid rapidly shifting regional and global dynamics.
“The progress achieved by the OTS in recent years is extremely valuable,” Yılmaz said, adding that peace in the South Caucasus would enhance connectivity between Türkiye and fellow Turkic states.
Yılmaz made the remarks after attending a meeting of OTS prime ministers and vice presidents, which convened on Thursday in Baku.
Originally founded in 2009 as the Turkic Council and renamed in 2021, the OTS is an intergovernmental body that brings together Turkic-speaking countries to enhance political, economic and cultural cooperation.
Alongside Türkiye, core OTS members include Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, while Hungary, Turkmenistan and Northern Cyprus hold observer status.
Headquartered in Istanbul, the organisation seeks to promote regional connectivity, trade integration and coordination on foreign policy among member states.
Speaking in Baku, Yılmaz highlighted the strong economic performance of the organisation’s core members.
“While global growth stood at around 3 per cent last year, OTS member countries recorded growth of approximately 6 per cent,” he said.
“They are advancing at nearly double the global rate, with rising national incomes,” he added.
According to the vice president, the OTS aims to boost intra-regional trade, which currently accounts for only 6 per cent of total exports among member states.
He stressed the need to raise this figure by signing inter-bloc trade agreements, streamlining customs procedures and improving transport links.
Addressing the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, Yılmaz reiterated Türkiye’s determination to avoid being drawn into the crisis.
“The conflict between Iran, Israel and the U.S. threatens the peace and stability of a broad region, including areas linked to the Turkic states,” he said.
The U.S. military said it completed a sixth consecutive night of strikes on Iran late on Thursday, targeting logistics infrastructure and maritime ca...
Iran struck eastern Syria on Friday, Iranian state media and a Syrian military source said, in the first known attack by Tehran on Syrian territory si...
Apple is closing in on Nvidia's position as the world's most valuable publicly traded company, as investors increasingly bet the iPhone maker can turn...
The Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2026 concluded with renewed focus on regional stability, connectivity and diplomacy amid deepening global uncertainty.
The Antalya Diplomacy Forum could evolve into a UN-style regional platform, bringing together diverse international actors, a political analyst has said.
Nine suspects were arrested on Saturday (11 April) in connection with a terror attack targeting a police post in Istanbul’s Beşiktaş district.
A gunfight with police outside the Israeli consulate in Istanbul’s Beşiktaş district left at least one attacker dead and two others injured, according to Turkish authorities, prompting a major police response on Tuesday (7 April).
U.S. President Donald Trump announced the reimposition of a U.S. naval blockade on all Iranian ports and warned that power plants and bridges could be targeted next week unless Tehran returns to negotiations.
The U.S. military announced that it has completed a new wave of strikes against Iranian military targets under U.S. President Donald Trump's orders. The operation targeted command centres, air defence systems, missile and drone facilities, and coastal surveillance sites across multiple locations.
The half-time interval during the 2026 FIFA World Cup final is expected to be extended to around 30 minutes to accommodate the tournament’s first-ever major half-time concert.
Nineteen years ago, at Barcelona's Camp Nou, Lionel Messi posed for a charity photo shoot with a five-month-old baby he had never met. On Sunday, that baby, Lamine Yamal, will face Messi in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final as Spain take on Argentina. A full-circle football story.
The U.S. military said it completed a sixth consecutive night of strikes on Iran late on Thursday, targeting logistics infrastructure and maritime capabilities. Iran responded by launching strikes at U.S. bases in neighbouring countries.
Aid organisations in Afghanistan are struggling to keep women in work as Taliban restrictions force them to spend more on male guardians, transport and separate workplaces, a June 2026 survey has found.
Uzbekistan and Italy's Tuscany region have agreed to expand cooperation in trade, investment, education and culture following talks between President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Tuscany Governor Eugenio Giani in Tashkent.
Iran struck eastern Syria on Friday, Iranian state media and a Syrian military source said, in the first known attack by Tehran on Syrian territory since a regional war erupted earlier this year.
Disruptions to shipping through the Gulf are creating an unexpected opportunity for Pakistan, as conflict around the Strait of Hormuz prompts vessels to divert cargo to Karachi, reshaping regional maritime trade.
Uzbekistan and Türkiye have agreed to expand the range of products eligible for preferential tariff treatment, signing a protocol that adds eight new tariff lines to their Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA). The move increases the total number of covered product categories from 12 to 20.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment