Nargiz Mammadova, analyst and international relations expert at the CASPIA Analytical Center, commented on Azerbaijan’s role within the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), with particular emphasis on the outcomes of the recent OTS Summit in Ankara and the results of Azerbaijan’s chairmanship of the organization.

According to Mammadova, one of the most important developments within the OTS in recent years has been the gradual transition from a platform based primarily on cultural and historical affinity to an increasingly institutionalized organization capable of implementing practical initiatives across a wide range of sectors.

The 13th OTS Summit was held in Ankara on October 30, 2026, marking the conclusion of Azerbaijan’s chairmanship and the transfer of the chairmanship to Türkiye. The organization currently maintains cooperation across more than 65 areas, including politics, trade and investment, transport, energy, digital transformation, education, social policy and humanitarian affairs.

Mammadova emphasized that Azerbaijan’s chairmanship played an important role in expanding the practical agenda of the organization and building on decisions adopted during the previous OTS Summit in Gabala.

“When the OTS Summit was held in Gabala, one of the important decisions was the establishment of the OTS+ format. This already demonstrated that the Organization of Turkic States was attracting interest beyond the immediate circle of Turkic countries and was seeking a more structured framework for cooperation with external partners,” she said.

The OTS+ format was formally established at the 12th Summit in Gabala in October 2025 as a flexible mechanism for cooperation with third countries and international organizations in areas of mutual interest.

According to Mammadova, the development of the organization also reflects a broader transformation in relations among Turkic states.

“The initial foundation was undoubtedly shared culture, historical ties and Turkic identity. These remain important. But over the years, the number of practical areas of cooperation has expanded significantly. Today, dedicated mechanisms and meetings cover issues ranging from economic cooperation and finance to education, labour, social protection and digital development. This shows that the organization is gradually acquiring a much broader functional dimension,” she noted.

She added that this institutional expansion is particularly important because it allows political declarations to be translated into practical cooperation. Recent OTS initiatives have included dedicated meetings involving central banks, financial intelligence units, defence industry institutions, intellectual property agencies, audit institutions, and ministries responsible for labour and social protection.

Mammadova also argued that the next stage of the organization’s development should place greater emphasis on common security challenges, particularly those affecting transport and economic connectivity.

According to her, this question is directly linked to the Middle Corridor, a significant part of which passes through OTS member states. The growing role of the Trans-Caspian route in trade between Asia and Europe means that the security and resilience of transport infrastructure increasingly become matters of common regional interest.

“OTS member states are located in a complex geopolitical environment. To the north, there is the continuing Russia-Ukraine war, while developments to the south, particularly around Iran, also create uncertainty. Against this background, the Middle Corridor currently offers a relatively reliable and secure route between Asia and Europe. This makes it increasingly important for OTS members to treat the security of their own territories and of the trade routes passing through them as a shared priority,” Mammadova said.

She stressed that transport security should not be understood solely in military terms. It also includes the resilience of ports, railways and energy infrastructure, the protection of supply chains, digital security, border coordination and the ability of member states to maintain predictable transit even during periods of regional instability.

In Mammadova’s assessment, the increasing practical agenda of the OTS demonstrates that the organization is moving beyond its original identity-based foundation toward a model combining cultural solidarity with economic, institutional and strategic cooperation.

The Ankara Summit marked the transition from Azerbaijan’s chairmanship to Türkiye, while also reviewing progress made in political cooperation, trade, transport and connectivity, energy, digital transformation, cultural cooperation and institutional development