ISTANBUL 

Civil society leaders from across the Turkic world gathered in Istanbul on Thursday for the Turkic World Consultation Meeting, hosted by the Justice and Development (AK) Party.

Speaking at the opening of the meeting, AK Party Deputy Chairman and Head of Relations with Turkic States Kursad Zorlu emphasized that the stability and growing global influence of the Turkic world is a cornerstone of the Turkish government’s foreign policy.

Zorlu said the "Century of Türkiye" vision launched by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has reached a new phase with the “Century of the Turkic World.”

He said Turkic states have recently established an organizational model that was once considered unthinkable.

"This is a diplomatic success," he said, adding that at the 2021 Istanbul Summit, heads of state transformed what was once a vague concept into the Organization of Turkic States (OTS).

“This is not an ordinary organization,” he said, stressing it reflects shared history and has achieved institutional recognition on the international stage.

Zorlu said cooperation among Turkic states continues in nearly 34 fields, adding that energy, trade, defense, technology, innovation, cultural diplomacy, academic collaboration, and transportation have become priority areas in this new century.

“The Turkic world is not a geographical border but an atlas of hearts,” he said.

He also noted that Türkiye’s recent strides in its national and domestic defense industry have generated strong excitement across the Turkic world.

Regional economic impact

Highlighting the region's growing economic power, Zorlu said Turkic states have reached a combined production volume of over $2 trillion.

“To the west lies the EU with over $20 trillion in annual production, to the east China with $20 trillion, to the south India with $4 trillion and the Middle East with $2 trillion, and to the north Russia with $2 trillion, so around $50 trillion in production is concentrated around the Turkic world.”

Zorlu said Erdogan’s leadership and Türkiye’s strategic position are vital in shaping a shared future for the Turkic world.

“The Turkic world is a matter above politics,” he said. “We see it this way, and with the vision of our president, we are steadily moving forward into ‘the Century of the Turkic World’ together.”