Kazakhstan attaches great importance to Turkic integration, Kazakh FM Tileuberdi says

Tileuberdi spoke to Anadolu ahead of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s official visit to Ankara on Wednesday and the 13th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States, to be hosted by Türkiye.

Noting that the current international environment is shaped by profound geopolitical changes, transformations in the global economy, and intensifying technological competition, Tileuberdi stressed the growing importance of relations based on mutual trust, respect for national interests, and a willingness to act jointly.

“Kazakhstan and Türkiye are united by centuries-old historical ties, spiritual affinity, shared cultural traditions, and the rich linguistic heritage of the Turkic world,” he said.

“Today, bilateral relations have acquired the character of an expanded strategic partnership covering political dialogue, trade, investment, energy, transport, industry, education, digital technologies, and other areas. At the current stage, the most important task is to resolutely continue transforming the accumulated political capital into tangible economic results, new production facilities, employment opportunities, and long-term projects,” he added.

Bilateral relations developing across all fields

Tileuberdi described Tokayev’s visit to Ankara as a natural continuation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s state visit to Astana in May.

He recalled that the two leaders signed a Declaration on Eternal Friendship and Expanded Strategic Partnership during Erdogan’s visit to the Kazakh capital.

Emphasizing Kazakhstan’s commitment to expanding cooperation with Türkiye on the basis of shared historical and cultural values, Tileuberdi said relations between the two countries were developing steadily across all areas of cooperation.

“Consistent political dialogue" between Tokayev and Erdogan "determines the strategic direction of bilateral cooperation and creates favorable conditions for implementing comprehensive joint projects,” he said.

“The priority is therefore not only to preserve the level of relations achieved so far, but also to adapt the bilateral partnership in a timely manner to new international conditions,” he added.

More than 100 joint projects implemented

Describing Türkiye as one of Kazakhstan’s main trade, economic, and investment partners, Tileuberdi said bilateral trade volume rose 66.5% in the first eight months of 2026 from the same period last year, reaching $5.66 billion.

Kazakhstan’s exports to Türkiye nearly doubled during the period to $4.75 billion, he said, adding that the figures demonstrated significant potential for further expanding economic ties.

Tileuberdi stressed the importance of diversifying products, removing non-tariff barriers, and facilitating trade procedures to increase bilateral trade volume. He also said investment cooperation between the two countries is developing actively.

Turkish investments in Kazakhstan have exceeded $6 billion, while Kazakh investments in Türkiye have surpassed $2.5 billion, he said.

More than 100 joint projects have been implemented in Kazakhstan, while over 50 projects are being implemented and negotiations are ongoing for another 70, he added.

Over 4,000 companies with Turkish capital operate in Kazakhstan, which Tileuberdi described as an important indicator of Turkish investors’ confidence in the country.

He said Kazakhstan will continue developing mechanisms to support investors, protect their rights, and establish a predictable, long-term business environment. The country provides support throughout the investment process, from identifying suitable locations for production facilities to implementing projects, he added.

Kazakhstan played leading role in OTS institutional development

Tileuberdi said Kazakhstan had played a leading role in establishing the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States, which later evolved into the Organization of Turkic States.

He said Kazakhstan had consistently supported the development of the organization’s institutional structure and efforts to raise its international profile.

“Kazakhstan has regularly hosted various events within the framework of the OTS. In this regard, I would like to recall that the first summit of the Organization of Turkic States was held in Almaty in 2011, while its most recent informal summit was successfully held in May this year in Turkistan, the spiritual capital of the Turkic world,” he said.

Tileuberdi said Kazakhstan had taken a leading role in initiatives including the establishment of the Coordination Committee of Turkic Cooperation Organizations, the preparation of the Turkic World Vision 2040 document, and the creation of a mechanism for permanent representatives to the OTS.

Kazakhstan had also initiated the establishment of the International Organization of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY), the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States (TURKPA), the Turkic Academy, and the Turkic Investment Fund, he said.

“These institutions have contributed to the development of scientific research, the promotion of cultural exchange, and the expansion of practical cooperation among countries,” he added.

‘Our country is ancestral homeland of all Turkic peoples’

Tileuberdi said the OTS reached a new level of institutional development during the 2018-2022 tenure of Kazakh representative Baghdad Amreyev as its secretary-general.

He recalled that Uzbekistan was admitted as a full member, while Hungary and Turkmenistan received observer status. An OTS representation office opened in Budapest, and the Union of Turkic Chambers of Commerce and Industry was established in Istanbul, he added.

Assessing Kazakhstan’s policy toward the Turkic world, Tileuberdi said the country was the successor to the Golden Horde and the ancestral homeland of Turkic peoples connected by shared culture, language, and traditions.

“This important factor underlies the natural rapprochement between Turkic countries and peoples. Since gaining independence, our country has attached great importance to Turkic integration,” he said.

“The integration of the Turkic world is one of the important priorities of Kazakhstan’s foreign policy. The Organization of Turkic States holds an important place among regional cooperation platforms, alongside the United Nations and other multilateral organizations,” he added.

‘We aim to create a more closely interconnected economic environment’

Referring to Tokayev’s statement that the OTS “is not a geopolitical project or a military alliance and should not be used as a tool against other states,” Tileuberdi said Turkic integration should contribute to strengthening regional stability, expanding economic opportunities, and developing constructive dialogue with external partners.

He described economic cooperation as one of the organization’s main areas of activity and said Kazakhstan’s trade with OTS member states had been growing steadily.

Trade between Kazakhstan and OTS members increased 42% in the first eight months of this year to $10 billion, he said.

Tileuberdi said Kazakhstan had established the Turan Special Economic Zone in Turkistan as an initiative to attract investment, develop industry and strengthen infrastructure.

“Mutual recognition of electronic documents, harmonization of customs systems, digitization of certificates of origin, and the simplification of border-crossing procedures will reduce time and cost losses in trade transactions,” he said.

“In the long term, we aim to create a more closely interconnected economic environment in which companies from OTS member states can find business partners more quickly, obtain market information, and implement joint projects,” he added.

Kazakhstan aims to raise Middle Corridor cargo volumes to 10M tons by 2030

Tileuberdi said the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, also known as the Middle Corridor, was particularly important both for Kazakhstan and the wider Turkic world.

As demand grows for the Middle Corridor, an alternative transport route between Asia and Europe, its strategic importance is increasing, he said, adding that Kazakhstan is working to expand the capacity of its railways, ports, and border-crossing points.

Tileuberdi stressed that the corridor’s efficiency depended not only on the capacity of individual sections within each country but also on coordination among all countries involved in the transport process.

He said joint steps were needed to digitize logistics procedures and reduce administrative costs.

Cargo volumes transported through the Middle Corridor have increased more than fivefold over the past five years, while delivery times have fallen to one-third of their previous duration, Tileuberdi said.

“These figures demonstrate growing demand for the corridor and the need to further expand its capacity. Kazakhstan aims to increase annual cargo volumes transported through the Middle Corridor to 10 million tons by 2030,” he said.

‘We view Ankara summit from a broad perspective’

Tileuberdi said Turkic integration should be developed on the basis of pragmatism, mutual respect, and equal consideration of the interests of all participating states.

He also shared Kazakhstan’s expectations for the upcoming OTS summit in Ankara.

“We view the Ankara summit from a broad perspective. We hope that the summit will not only reaffirm the determination of the states to deepen cooperation, but also provide an opportunity to set concrete goals for joint work in the future,” he said.

As it was reported, at the invitation of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev will pay an official visit to Türkiye on October 28-30. During the visit to Ankara, the heads of state will hold talks to further strengthen the strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and Türkiye. The Head of State will participate in the 13th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States.