BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 12. Azerbaijan’s Parliamentary Speaker, Sahiba Gafarova, making a working visit to Kazakhstan's Astana, has delivered a speech at the 14th plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Turkic States (TURKPA), a source in the parliament told Trend.
According to her, although the territory they live in covers a vast geography, Turkic peoples have followed a similar path of development and have never lost their connections with each other. Numerous powerful states, which rose by drawing strength from the creative energy and intelligence of fraternal Turkic peoples, have left deep marks in world history and have played an important role over time in shaping the geopolitical and cultural landscape of Eurasia. In the modern era, the activities of politically independent and economically sustainable developing Turkic states have created opportunities for the rapprochement, joint development, and cooperation of the Turkic peoples.
Gafarova noted that during this period, we are witnessing the revival of Turkic unity in a new historical context based on mutual respect, strategic partnership, and joint responsibility for the future of Turkic peoples. The “unity in language, thought, and action” of the Turkic states is becoming an important condition for the stability and prosperity of the Turkic family. The deepening of political relations between Turkic states, the successful implementation of bilateral and multilateral economic projects in the regions where Turkic countries are located, mutual investments, and other measures have formed a new architecture of cooperation.
Continuing her speech, the speaker stated that today, in a rapidly changing world, geopolitical processes are becoming increasingly complex, global challenges require collective responses, and sustainable development depends not only on resources but also on unity, solidarity, and strategic thinking. In this regard, the Turkic world possesses a unique potential. This is not just a union of states but a civilizational space connected by a common language, history, and national-spiritual values.
Speaking about Azerbaijan’s contributions as an active member of the Turkic family, Gafarova said that Azerbaijan is implementing well-thought-out measures to strengthen the unity of the Turkic world. According to her, the development of bilateral and multilateral relations with Turkic states is one of the priority directions of Azerbaijan’s foreign policy.
She said that under the leadership of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev, the restoration of the Azerbaijani people’s territorial integrity and sovereignty as a result of the Second Karabakh War and the anti-terror operation has been a historic achievement for the entire Turkic world. These great victories not only put an end to the occupation of Azerbaijani lands but also created new geopolitical realities in the region and opened new prospects for the further consolidation of the Turkic world. Maximizing the use of existing potential in energy, transportation, transit, and other sectors and applying new formats of cooperation will further strengthen the economic unity of the Turkic states.
Gafarova pointed out that the determination of Turkic peoples and states to unite and cooperate is vividly reflected in the development path of integration organizations such as the Organization of Turkic States, TURKSOY, International Turkic Academy, Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, and Turkic Business Council.
The official also stressed that the Turkic Parliamentary Assembly, which holds its place among these cooperation organizations, has been successfully functioning for more than 15 years. Cooperation within the Assembly opens the way to use the rich potential of parliamentary diplomacy in developing political, trade-economic, and cultural-humanitarian relations between Turkic countries.
Sahiba Gafarova underlined that TURKPA is not only a parliamentary institution where general approaches to lawmaking are defined and initiatives for the approximation of legislation are proposed and implemented. It is also a platform for discussing issues of interest to Turkic countries and important problems of the modern era. In this sense, further expanding the institutional potential of the Parliamentary Assembly and strengthening its participation in regional and global agendas will be beneficial for the common goals of the Turkic states.
The speaker pointed out that parliamentarians should further strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation and coordination among legislative bodies and assist in implementing decisions made at the level of heads of state. Parliaments, which express the will of the people, should play a greater role in defining the institutional dimensions of the Turkic era. In the face of global challenges such as geopolitical instability, climate change, and threats to sovereignty, the capabilities of parliamentary diplomacy should be directed at protecting the interests of Turkic peoples and states. We must support each other in issues of security, information warfare, and cultural diplomacy, and help develop science, education, and digital technologies.
In conclusion, the speaker emphasized that the 21st century is an era of new opportunities for the Turkic peoples. As noted by President Ilham Aliyev, “The 21st century must be a century of progress of the Turkic world”.
The speaker noted that this vision is based both on shared heritage and the growing political, economic, and humanitarian potential of the Turkic states.
Gafarova added that the path to the new rise of the Turkic peoples goes through unity and solidarity, and the Azerbaijani parliament will continue to attach paramount importance to cooperation within the framework of TURKPA.
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