Istanbul (TDI): The Organization of Turkic States (OTS) held its fifth meeting of ministers responsible for energy last week in Istanbul, where member countries reviewed key joint energy initiatives shaping the region’s future.
Addressing the meeting, OTS Secretary General Kubanychbek Omuraliev highlighted several large-scale projects currently underway among member states.
Established in 2009, the OTS includes Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Türkiye, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, with Hungary and Northern Cyprus participating as observer states.
Omuraliev pointed to the importance of major oil and gas infrastructure connecting the region to global markets. These include the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline, the Baku–Tbilisi–Erzurum (BTE) gas pipeline, the South Caucasus Pipeline, the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP), the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), and the Iğdır–Nakhchivan gas pipeline.
Read More: Organization of Turkic States Adopts New Flag
He also highlighted growing cooperation in renewable energy, including a strategic partnership among Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan focused on developing and transmitting green energy. Another major initiative discussed was the Azerbaijan–Georgia–Türkiye–Bulgaria Green Energy Corridor, which expands the Central Asia–Azerbaijan route and creates new opportunities for energy exports to Europe.
In Central Asia, the construction of the Kambarata-1 Hydropower Plant in Kyrgyzstan, being developed jointly with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, was identified as a key regional project. Plans for a submarine cable across the Black Sea to transmit renewable energy were also discussed.
Omuraliev stressed that deeper cooperation within the OTS framework strengthens both the economic potential of member states and overall regional energy security.
Energy ministers attending the meeting noted that OTS members and observers possess substantial fossil fuel and clean energy resources, positioning the region as a vital energy bridge between Asia and Europe. They emphasized the need to advance practical cooperation in response to rising global energy demand and the accelerating transition toward cleaner energy sources.
Read More: Kyrgyzstan Hosts Organization of Turkic States Summit
Participants agreed to continue developing joint initiatives under the OTS umbrella, including plans to establish a Regional Center for Technologies and Green Initiatives.
The meeting also followed recent developments related to regional financing. On December 5, the Board of Governors of the Turkic Investment Fund announced in Bishkek that the fund is expected to begin operations in the first quarter of 2026. Headquartered in Istanbul, the Turkic Investment Fund is the first financial institution jointly created by OTS member states and aims to promote economic cooperation, expand intra-regional trade, and support sustainable development through financing major joint projects.
