Tokayev says Türkiye became a key global country in a century

Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said at the Organization of Turkic States summit in Ankara that Türkiye enjoys immense international prestige and that its socioeconomic potential has grown significantly under President Erdoğan.

Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev praised the progress Türkiye has made over the century since the republic was established, speaking on October 30 at the 13th summit of the Council of Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) in Ankara.

“In more than a century, Türkiye has become one of the most important countries in the world, a state with immense international prestige,” Tokayev said. He said that, thanks to the decisive policies of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the socioeconomic potential of “brotherly Türkiye” had grown substantially, and that the country now holds a firm place on the global stage as a regional and global power.

Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev

“The Turkic century is above all about unity”

The Kazakh leader called the OTS a unique organization and stressed that the meaning of the concept of the “Turkic century” lies in unity. “We seek to develop the heritage of the Turkic world while remaining faithful to the legacy of our ancestors,” he said.

Tokayev also noted that cooperation within the OTS should be based on respect for the sovereignty and national interests of every state. “The OTS is not, and must not become in the future, a military alliance,” the Kazakhstan president stressed.

Türkiye takes over the chairmanship

Tokayev thanked Azerbaijan for chairing the organization and welcomed the transfer of the chairmanship to Türkiye, expressing confidence that Ankara would successfully continue the work already under way. He called for the OTS strategy for 2027–2031 to be adopted as soon as possible and focused on specific projects in trade, investment, finance, agriculture and digital technologies.

On October 28, ahead of the summit, Tokayev held talks with Erdoğan at the presidential complex in Ankara. Türkiye is one of Kazakhstan’s key trade and investment partners, while the OTS summit was held in the Turkish capital on October 29–30 under the theme “The Turkic century: unity in language, thought and action.”

Tokayev says Türkiye became a key global country in a century