By Zulkhumor Makhmudova

 

In recent years, the reconfiguration of geopolitical power centers in the international arena and the emergence of new regional blocs and strategic alliances have prompted Central Asian countries to strengthen their multi-vector foreign policies. Within this context, the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) has increasingly become a vital integration platform, serving as the main institutional structure uniting the Turkic world politically, economically, and culturally. Uzbekistan plays an active role in this process, promoting its national interests through strengthened cooperation within the organization.

 

The 12th Summit of the OTS, held on October 9, 2025, in Gabala (Azerbaijan), marked the beginning of a new strategic phase in the organization’s activities. The summit’s core agenda—regional security, development of transport and communication infrastructure, expansion of trade relations, and energy integration—served to consolidate the OTS as a balanced and mutually beneficial model of cooperation in global politics.

 

In his speech, President Sh. Mirziyoyev emphasized the importance of deepening solidarity among Turkic states, elevating trade and economic cooperation to a new level, and expanding joint projects in the fields of green energy and the digital economy. The President’s assertion that “The Turkic world represents a civilizational space formed on the basis of shared history, culture, and language” reflects Uzbekistan’s conceptual foreign policy approach—viewing regional integration as an integral part of national development.

 

The Gabala Summit primarily signaled a new stage in the political consolidation of the OTS. Uzbekistan, maintaining a balance of power within the platform, has positioned itself as a center of regional stability and pragmatic cooperation. Uzbekistan’s initiatives—particularly the proposals related to the Turkic Investment Fund and the integration of transport-logistics corridors—demonstrate its policy orientation toward achieving tangible, practical results within the organization.

 

Within the OTS framework, strategic partnership between Uzbekistan and Türkiye occupies a central role. The trilateral meeting among Uzbekistan, Türkiye, and Azerbaijan held in Ankara in January 2025 became a turning point in this direction. The Ankara Declaration, signed during the meeting, envisaged deep integration in trade, investment, transport, and energy sectors. Agreements to accelerate the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) and the Zangezur Corridor projects represent significant steps toward creating a strategic transport link between Europe and Asia through OTS member states.

 

Today, relations between Türkiye and Uzbekistan are evolving from strategic partnership to a level of alliance. This development, on one hand, reflects the growing trust and closeness between the two states; on the other hand, it indicates the emergence of a coordinated leadership model within the OTS. Considering Uzbekistan’s economic potential, human capital, and geoeconomic position in Central Asia, the country is forming a complementary strategic synergy with Türkiye.

 

The current stage of OTS development demonstrates that the organization is transforming not only into a cultural-civilizational but also a geo-economic bloc. Mutual trade among member states exceeded $42 billion in 2024, indicating the practical results of economic integration within the organization. Uzbekistan has become an essential transit hub, prioritizing the expansion of access to Türkiye and Europe via the Caspian Sea.

Uzbekistan is also advancing new initiatives in digital diplomacy, youth cooperation, and scientific-educational partnerships. The establishment of the Diplomatic Academy of the Turkic States in Tashkent contributes to the training of specialists, harmonization of foreign policies, and strengthening of diplomatic dialogue within the OTS.

 

Among the documents adopted at the Gabala Summit were the “Turkic World Transport Strategy,” the “Concept for Energy Cooperation,” and the “Youth Integration Program,” all of which align closely with Uzbekistan’s conceptual initiatives. This clearly illustrates Uzbekistan’s intellectual and proactive role in the recent development of the OTS.

 

Uzbekistan’s engagement in the OTS is characterized by a pragmatic approach: its initiatives are reinforced with practical outcomes. For instance, the ideas of “Transport Diplomacy” and “Green Development” introduced at the Samarkand Summit (2022) and Astana Summit (2023) have now evolved into concrete projects at the Gabala Summit (2025).

 

In conclusion, the Organization of Turkic States has become the institutional foundation of multilateral cooperation among Turkic countries and is transforming into a stable and balanced center of power in the new regional order. Uzbekistan stands out in this process with its initiative-driven, balanced, and practical diplomacy. Strengthened strategic partnership with Türkiye, transport-logistical cooperation with Azerbaijan, and growing economic integration with Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan are shaping Uzbekistan as a “bridge state” within the OTS.

 

Thus, Uzbekistan’s active role in the OTS reflects not only its regional interests but also its growing position as a diplomatic center representing the Turkic world’s collective interests within the evolving global geopolitical equilibrium.

 

 

Zulkhumor Makhmudova is a second-year PhD candidate in International Relations: Political Problems of the World and Regional Development at the University of World Economy and Diplomacy. Her research focuses on foreign policy analysis, regional integration processes within the Turkic world, and geopolitical dynamics in Central Asia. She pays particular attention to Uzbekistan’s strategic role within the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) and the country’s participation in the development of new transport, logistics, and trade connectivity networks. Ms. Makhmudova is the author of several academic and analytical papers devoted to the geopolitical transformation of Central Asia, the evolution of the OTS, and Uzbekistan’s multi-vector foreign policy. Her current doctoral research project is titled “Regional Cooperation within the Organization of Turkic States and Uzbekistan’s Strategic Interests.” Zulkhumor Makhmudova actively participates in academic seminars and international conferences dedicated to issues of regional security, international relations, and diplomacy. Her scholarly approach seeks to integrate the theoretical and methodological foundations of international relations with applied analytical research.

 

* The Institute for Advanced International Studies (IAIS) does not take institutional positions on any issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the IAIS.