I believe with all my heart that the 21st century will be the “Century of the Turkic World” — Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has expressed his conviction that the 21st century will be the “Century of the Turkic World.” He emphasized that strengthening political, economic, and cultural cooperation among Turkic states—pooling their collective potential and translating it into concrete results—is a requirement of the times.

President Erdoğan wrote this in an article released ahead of the 13th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States, to be held in Ankara. The summit is themed: “The Century of the Turkic World: Unity in Language, Thought, and Action.”
Noting that Turkic peoples are bound together by a shared history, culture, and set of values, the Turkish President underscored the necessity of developing robust institutions and effective cooperation mechanisms to pass this unity on to future generations.

Economic Cooperation and Transport Links

In Erdoğan’s view, the economic integration of Turkic states should be a priority for the organization. In particular, the East-West Middle Corridor—which traverses the Caspian Sea—offers a significant opportunity to expand trade ties between Asia and Europe. He highlighted the necessity of harmonizing railways, ports, highways, and customs systems, effectively utilizing the resources of the Turkic Investment Fund, and removing trade barriers.
Furthermore, the President of Turkey emphasized the importance of expanding cooperation in the fields of energy, renewable energy, communications infrastructure, and technology, as well as fostering mutual investments and joint production projects.


Cooperation in the spheres of security and defense

The article also places special focus on security issues. The Turkish leader noted the need to consolidate the capabilities of the Turkic states in combating terrorism, cross-border crime, cyber threats, and natural disasters.
According to him, key areas for cooperation include the exchange of experience within the defense industry, the development of indigenous and national technologies, and the enhancement of joint production capacity.
The President also stressed that the unity of the Turkic states must develop based on respect for the sovereignty, independence, and national will of each individual country.
A common alphabet and cultural rapprochement
Erdoğan characterized the cultural and spiritual heritage of the Turkic peoples as an essential component of a shared civilization. He described the firm commitment expressed regarding a common Turkic alphabet as a historic step toward cultural rapprochement.
Proposals were made to advance this process through cooperation in the fields of education, science, publishing, and digital technologies; to strengthen ties between universities and scholars; and to encourage young people to pursue their education in brotherly nations.
Furthermore, the President noted the importance of pooling shared knowledge and technological resources to ensure that Turkic languages ​​secure a fitting place in the era of artificial intelligence.

Expected outcomes of the Ankara Summit

The President of Turkey stated that the strengthening of the Organization of Turkic States contributes to ensuring peace, mutual trust, and stability in the region.
Erdoğan also characterized the assumption of the rotating chairmanship of the Organization of Turkic States—taking over from Azerbaijan during the summit—as a significant responsibility in pursuit of shared goals.
In his view, the primary task before the organization is to translate a collective political will into practical results across economic, cultural, technological, and other spheres.

"I believe with all my heart that the 21st century will be the 'Century of the Turkic World,'" the President of Turkey wrote. As a reminder, the next summit of the Organization of Turkic States will be held in Ankara on October 29–30. President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev will also participate in this summit.
Following the summit, the adoption of the Ankara Declaration, as well as a number of joint decisions and documents aimed at developing mutually beneficial partnerships among the member states of the organization, is planned.