The 2025 summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) has officially opened in Gabala, Azerbaijan, drawing together leaders from across the Turkic world.
Among the key participants is President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who joins the summit amid increasing momentum toward deeper political, economic, and strategic cooperation among member states, The Caspian Post informs via Kazakh media.
Kazakhstan-Azerbaijan Ties Deepen
Kazakhstan’s bilateral relationship with Azerbaijan continues to grow across multiple sectors - including energy, trade, transport, investment, and culture - reflecting a strong and broad-based partnership.
Azerbaijani economist Natig Jafarli said that Kazakhstan-Azerbaijan trade totaled $331.7 million between January and July 2025, marking a 4.8 per cent increase over the same period in 2024. Kazakhstan’s exports primarily include wheat, oil, and petroleum products, while imports from Azerbaijan consist of aluminum profiles, pipes, and food products.
Significant strides have also been made in transport connectivity. The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) carried 2.6 million tons of cargo this year, while container traffic doubled to 40,200 TEUs. Additional milestones include:
Transit of Kazakh uranium through Azerbaijan
Construction of a 400 Tbit/s submarine fiber-optic cable under the Digital Silk Way
Launch of the Middle Corridor Multimodal joint venture to boost regional logistics
In the energy sector, work is underway to establish a “green corridor” connecting Central Asia, Azerbaijan, and Europe, including a deep-sea cable project to transmit renewable electricity to European markets.
“These initiatives provide a solid platform for further integration and investment between the two countries,” said Jafarli.
Turkic States Push for Economic Integration
Kazakhstan’s role at the summit is framed by broader efforts to boost economic cooperation among OTS member states. The bloc’s combined GDP topped $2.1 trillion in 2024, with total trade reaching $1.1-1.17 trillion.
OTS Secretary-General Kubanychbek Omuraliev emphasized the goal of raising intra-bloc trade to 10 per cent, up from 7 per cent in 2024 - a notable jump from just 3 per cent a few years ago.
Trade growth is strongest in industry, energy, agri-food, and logistics services. To support this trend, OTS members have implemented a range of digital and customs solutions, including:
e-Permit, e-CMR, and e-TIR systems
The Simplified Customs Corridor
Ongoing transport and infrastructure agreements
“These tools are streamlining trade and accelerating integration across the Turkic region,” said Omuraliev.
Gabala Summit Agenda: Trade, Transport, Security, and Digital Growth
The regional experts said that the Gabala summit offers a critical platform for addressing key political, economic, transport, and humanitarian priorities.
Ilgar Valizade, head of the South Caucasus Political Scientists’ Club, highlighted the strategic importance of the Middle Corridor, a transit route linking China to Europe through Central Asia and the Caspian.
“This corridor is becoming essential to the Turkic world’s connectivity. Renewable energy and green development will also feature prominently, offering Kazakhstan new export channels,” he said.
Valizade also pointed to growing cooperation in education, culture, and media, including efforts to unify the Turkic alphabet and create a shared information space.
Roza Bayramli, senior advisor at the Center for Analysis of International Relations, noted that the summit will cover:
Digital transformation
Security and regional stability
Smart cities and green financing
Expanded use of the Turkic Investment Fund to support joint projects
She cited strong progress since the Bishkek Summit (September 2024) and the Hungary Informal Summit (May 2025), including deeper cooperation between central banks and the launch of customs simplification programs.
Azerbaijan’s Strategic Hosting Role
Emin Garibli, Associate Professor at the Azerbaijan State University of Economics, underscored the symbolic importance of hosting the summit in Gabala, a city at the heart of regional transport routes.
He described the OTS’ evolution from a political dialogue platform into a functional economic and strategic organization, where geographic proximity, shared identity, and strong leadership are driving tangible results.
“Kazakhstan’s presence helps shape the future direction of this alliance, particularly in launching new digital, transport, and investment initiatives,” Garibli said.
As a sign of growing interdependence, Türkiye’s trade with Turkic states alone reached $62.6 billion over the past five years.
