President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on May 15 took part in the informal summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) on 'Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development' held in Turkistan. The event was also attended by the presidents of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, and the OTS Secretary General.
In his speech, Mirziyoyev thanked Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev for the high-level organization of the summit. He also expressed gratitude to Ilham Aliyev for his effective chairmanship of the OTS and efforts to enhance the organization's prestige.
The president emphasized that the integration of the Turkic world is becoming a long-term strategic issue affecting the destinies of fraternal peoples. In recent years, the OTS has become an influential structure demonstrating sustainable development. In 2025, the total economic potential of member states exceeded $2.4 trillion, with growth rates double the global average.
Last year, Uzbekistan's trade turnover with OTS countries increased by 14%. It was noted that the Turkic Investment Fund has begun operations, and the Council of Central Banks and the Turkic Council on Green Financing have been launched.
Mirziyoyev put forward a number of initiatives to strengthen cooperation in AI and digital development, including the need to create a unified digital space and use quantum computing to identify new growth points.
'Our great ancestors who lived and created in our lands — Muhammad al-Khwarizmi, Ahmad al-Fergani, Abu Rayhan al-Biruni, Mirzo Ulugbek — made invaluable contributions to the development of algorithms, mathematics, astronomy, and physics, thus laying the foundation for modern artificial intelligence,' Mirziyoyev said.
He also proposed developing a 'Digital Turkic Corridor Concept' to ensure regional data exchange and holding a Technology Forum of OTS states in Tashkent.
The president noted that the Center for Islamic Civilization, together with TURKSOY and the Turkic Academy, could consolidate historical and cultural sources on a single 'big data' platform.
The summit discussed studying and promoting the ideas of tolerance and enlightenment of the Yasawi Sufi order, training youth for modern professions, and financing startup projects.
Mirziyoyev recalled Uzbekistan's '5 Million AI Leaders' program and called on other member states to join the joint venture fund being established by Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
In transport and logistics, the full launch of the E-Permit electronic permit system was noted. Tasks were set to connect the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway to the Middle Corridor and digitize customs data exchange.
To combat climate change, it was proposed to declare 2027 the 'Year of Nature Conservation' in the Turkic world, create a climate risk monitoring system based on satellite data, and use AI in water resource management.
An initiative was put forward to create a Turkic Alliance for cybersecurity and protection of digital infrastructure to combat terrorism, extremism, and cyber threats.
The summit concluded with the adoption of the Turkistan Declaration.
Source: www.gazeta.uz