The Informal Summit of the Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) will take place from May 20 to 21 in Budapest, Hungary, marking a historic first as the summit convenes in an Observer State.
Hosted by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, the summit will bring together leaders of the five member states—Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Türkiye, and Uzbekistan—alongside officials from observer states and the OTS Secretary General.
Held under the theme “Meeting Point of East and West,” the summit aims to strengthen regional ties, deepen multilateral cooperation, and address shared challenges amid an evolving global landscape.
ALSO READ | The Organisation of Turkic States: What you need to know about organisation
The choice of Hungary as host underscores its expanding role within the Turkic cooperation framework and highlights the Organization’s growing geographic and strategic outreach.
Strategic Agenda
The summit will provide a platform for the participating heads of state to:
A key outcome of the gathering will be the adoption of the Budapest Declaration, which is expected to reaffirm the OTS’s collective vision, unity, and roadmap for future collaboration.
In preparation, the Council of Foreign Ministers of the OTS convened in Budapest to finalize the summit’s agenda and accompanying documents for the leaders’ approval.
Budapest Declaration Signed Following Informal OTS Summit
On 21 May, the heads of state of the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS) convened for an informal summit in Budapest, where they signed the Budapest Declaration, a comprehensive document consisting of 71 points.
Key Highlights of the Declaration:
▪️ Commitment to the Nakhchivan Agreement was reaffirmed, recognising it as the founding document of the OTS. Leaders praised the historic contribution of Turkic peoples to global civilisation and the growing role of Turkic states in fostering peace, security, and sustainable development worldwide.
▪️ The declaration emphasised the significance of the “Charter of the Turkic World” as a unifying framework of shared identity, language, culture, and traditions. The Kyrgyz chairmanship and Hungary’s active involvement were both commended.
▪️ Solidarity and coordination among Turkic states were prioritised, including greater engagement with observer states — Hungary, Turkmenistan, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The need for a peaceful resolution of the Cyprus issue was underlined.
▪️ Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to combating terrorism, terrorist financing, organised crime, and cybercrime. Türkiye’s contributions to stability in Syria were acknowledged, alongside a call for lifting sanctions against Syria.
▪️ Deep concern was expressed over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with renewed calls for a sustainable ceasefire, the release of hostages, and the delivery of aid.
▪️ Intentions to deepen defence industry cooperation and combat Islamophobia, racism, xenophobia, and disinformation on international platforms were confirmed.
▪️ The success of the Baku Process and Azerbaijan’s leadership in intercultural dialogue were praised. Support was expressed for the 7th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue, to be held in Baku in 2026.
▪️ Leaders agreed on the need to increase the OTS budget and launch the Turkic Investment Fund, the Organisation’s first joint financial institution. They welcomed green energy initiatives, sustainable infrastructure development, and the entry into force of the Simplified Customs Corridor Agreement.
▪️ Azerbaijan was commended for hosting COP29 in November 2024, particularly its Baku Climate Pact initiative.
▪️ Specific sections of the Declaration addressed cultural heritage, youth and sport policies, humanitarian cooperation, and the protection of cultural heritage during armed conflicts. Leaders also supported celebrating Nowruz across the OTS.
▪️ OTS members backed each other’s candidacies for leading positions in the UN, UNESCO, and ECOSOC, and welcomed the awarding of the Alisher Navoi Prize to Nobel Laureate Aziz Sancar for strengthening Turkic unity.
▪️ In conclusion, the heads of state thanked Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, the Hungarian government, and people for their warm hospitality and support for Turkic solidarity.
The Declaration was signed in Azerbaijani, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Turkish, and Uzbek.
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. T...
The German broadcaster says energy, trade, transport and regional stability are transforming relations between Baku and Berlin....
Aid organisations in Afghanistan are struggling to keep women in work as Taliban restrictions force them to spend more on male guardians, transport an...
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán called an emergency defence council on Sunday (5 April) after powerful explosives were discovered near a pipeline in Serbia that carries Russian gas to Hungary.
Ukraine has accused Hungary of taking seven employees of a state-owned bank hostage in Budapest.
Thousands of Hungarians marched to the offices of Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Saturday (13 December) in protest over a physical abuse scandal at a state-run juvenile detention centre. The demonstration was led by opposition leader Peter Magyar, who called on Orban to resign.
Baku and Budapest strengthen diplomatic relations as Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister, Jeyhun Bayramov, began a working visit to Hungary on, Wednesday, 10 December.
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 United States carried out a third consecutive night of airstrikes against Iran, targeting military capabilities around the Strait of Hormuz as Donald Trump announced the reinstatement of a blockade on Iranian shipping and proposed a 20% fee on cargo passing through the strategic waterway.
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 death toll from the fire at a live music pub in Bangkok has climbed to 32 after two more victims died from their injuries, according to Thailand's Police Hospital.
Ukraine and Russia exchanged fresh attacks on Tuesday, with Kyiv targeting shipping and energy infrastructure inside Russia while Moscow launched another large-scale missile and drone assault on Ukrainian cities.
The Trump administration is pressing ahead with new immigration rules that will impose fixed time limits on visas for foreign students, cultural exchange visitors and journalists, tightening requirements for thousands of people who study and work in the U.S.
Keir Starmer has reaffirmed that the UK's "unwavering" support for Ukraine will continue, during his final visit to the country as Prime Minister.
Two British hackers who carried out a cyberattack on Transport for London (TfL) that cost the transport authority £29 million to remediate have been jailed for a total of 11 years.
At least 11 people have been killed and 19 injured in a fire at an orphanage on the outskirts of the Algerian capital, state media reported. The blaze broke out early on Thursday at the institution in the eastern suburbs of Algiers.
A woman whose husband was sucked out of the window of a plane during a Ryanair flight has recounted pulling her husband to safety. Serbian couple Svetlana Maksimovic and Ljubisa Karovic had just settled into a flight with the airline last week, when a loud bang pierced the hum of engines.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment