On June 12, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with the heads of parliaments from the member countries of the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States (TurkPA), emphasizing Kazakhstan’s dedication to strengthening cooperation within the Turkic world.
The meeting was attended by the speakers of the parliaments of all TURKPA member countries, The Caspian Post reports citing Kazakh media.
In his opening remarks, Tokayev highlighted the importance of the Parliamentary Assembly and Kazakhstan’s strong support for it. Drawing on his experience as Senate Chairman, he noted the assembly’s role in strengthening Turkic solidarity and international influence. He emphasized the shared desire among Turkic nations for closer cooperation, which Kazakhstan actively supports.
“Thanks to the joint efforts of the Parliamentary Assembly, Turkic solidarity is growing stronger every year. This is a very positive trend, it leads to the growth of international authority and influence of the entire Turkic world,” said Tokayev.
Turkic unity, summit in Turkistan
Tokayev reaffirmed Kazakhstan’s support for TurkPA initiatives and expressed the country’s readiness to actively contribute to Turkic integration.
He noted that Kazakhstan, as a founding member of the Organization of Turkic States, sees it as a key driver of economic, cultural, and humanitarian development. He stressed the importance of using its potential to achieve common goals. Recalling Kazakhstan’s 2023 chairmanship, he highlighted major initiatives, including approximately 100 integration-focused events, the fifth World Nomad Games in Astana, and the approval of a unified Turkic alphabet, which he described as a historic step.
He also highlighted institutional developments within the Organization of Turkic States, including the appointment of permanent representatives and the expansion of cooperation in trade, energy, finance, and investment.
“The Turkic Investment Fund is effectively operating. All these important steps will strengthen Turkic integration. We highly appreciate the results of the summits of the Organization of Turkic States and pay great attention to the high-quality implementation of the agreements reached. The recent informal meeting of the heads of state in Hungary was productive. Kazakhstan is always interested in continuing this positive trend. In this regard, I proposed holding the next summit in sacred Turkistan,” he noted.
Reforms, economic development and regional cooperation
Tokayev outlined major reforms in Kazakhstan, including constitutional changes, a new governance model, and a one-term seven-year presidency. He highlighted stronger parliamentary powers, increased government accountability, a new Constitutional Court, and other measures.
He shared details on Kazakhstan’s economic progress, noting that its GDP reached $290 billion in 2024, with a per capita income of $14,000. However, he acknowledged ongoing challenges and outlined areas of active development.
“Currently, active work is underway to implement large infrastructure projects, large-scale digitalization, the introduction of artificial intelligence, comprehensive support for agriculture, and increasing the potential of the transport and logistics sector. This year, economic growth is expected to be more than 5%. To achieve these goals, it is very important to strengthen effective cooperation with the Turkic countries,” he said.
Support for parliamentary diplomacy
President Tokayev expressed full support for the initiative to hold a TurkPA meeting in Astana under the theme TURKTIME: the role of parliamentary diplomacy.
“Kazakhstan attaches particular importance to inter-parliamentary relations between fraternal countries and people’s diplomacy. It can be stated that the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States is an authoritative international organization and a unique structure that allows us to deepen our cooperation. Your joint work within the organization is of great importance,” he emphasized.
He emphasized the unity and shared goals of the Turkic states, reaffirming Kazakhstan’s strong support for their parliamentary diplomacy.
“In agreement, we will effectively overcome these turbulent times and give a great impetus to the development of our economies,” he said.
