BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 15. Cooperation between Turkic governments has grown in recent years in various domains, including politics, economics, and culture. One vivid example is the TURAN (TURANSEZ) Special Economic Zone (SEZ), which is planned to be established in accordance with the Astana Declaration, which was adopted at the 10th Anniversary Summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) under the theme "Turkic Century" on November 3, 2023, in Astana, Kazakhstan.
The adoption of the concept of a special economic zone called TURAN by the relevant bodies of the member countries is noted in paragraph 50 of the declaration, as is the implementation of the concept agreed upon by the parties, the change in connection with Kazakhstan to ensure the launch of TURANSEZ, and the importance of cooperation between the member countries' special economic zones.
The goals of establishing SEZs include increasing mutual trust and friendly relations among participants, creating favorable conditions for trade and investment, further simplifying customs and transit procedures in order to gradually implement free movement of goods, capital, services, and technologies, attracting foreign investments, developing export-oriented and import-substituting industries, and importing advanced technologies.
The ambitious goal of this zone's strategic establishment is to become a catalyst not only for economic growth but also for enriching cultural heritage and developing diplomatic ties in this international union. The TURAN project is a remarkable occurrence in current international politics and economics due to its comprehensive approach.
The TURAN FEZ's implementation is expected to strengthen cooperation between Turkish states and bring regional and global partners closer to this organization.
As economist expert Emin Garibli told Trend, TURAN is a positive phenomenon that promotes trade and economic ties for Azerbaijan, as well as electronic systems within Azerbaijan and between the OTS countries to create new communication links.
"I believe the name TURAN was not chosen at random. Naturally, it will serve as a link and make a contribution. On the one hand, it is critical to the liberalization of our countries' trade and economic connections. It enables us to deploy electronic systems for commodity transportation and electronic relationship management. It facilitates trade between our countries and allows us to collaborate in economics, research, and education," he said.
Garibli noted that, on the other hand, there are free economic zones, which are preferential zones where investors, individuals, legal entities, and businesses can get additional profits and additional margins, which contributes to the development of foreign economic relations in the region.
"It also contributes to the development of the middle line of the transportation corridor passing through our territory. Naturally, I think that similar free economic zones will be created in other countries of the Turkic world, including Kyrgyzstan. However, they are aimed at improving foreign trade and foreign economic relations," he added.
According to Ph.D. in economics Faraj Akhundov, this project is very promising because it is not only an economic bloc but also a cultural one.
"This is the unification of countries that have common Turkic roots, similar cultures, and a common language. Therefore, in my opinion, this bloc will become very powerful. Naturally, the unification of these countries carries great prospects for future generations and the economic well-being of all the people involved in this project," he said.
Akhundov also emphasized that, first of all, the technological and legislative bases should be developed.
"Secondly, improvements and innovations should be made in the logistics chain. Thirdly, in my opinion, it is extremely important to create a common center that will coordinate the solution of these tasks and line up issues for discussion by the main states of this association," he added.
Speaking about the prospects of creating an institutional body within the organization to ensure the continuous work of this project in the geography of OTS, the PhD in Economics stressed that this is the right decision. The institutional body will not only support the continuous functioning of the project in the OTS geography but will also actively promote new technologies and developments to improve the performance of this association.
"Therefore, I believe that this is a very good decision, and its members will be representatives of the states of this association. Such a body will effectively support the work of OTS unification," Akhundov said.
Highlighting the benefits of the project for regional development, Faraj Akhundov said that, first of all, it includes increasing the number of jobs and expanding the range of goods on the market of the states of this association.
"It may also result in lower prices for specific types of items for the final customer. As far as we can tell, this contributes to economic growth for all countries concerned, as trade always boosts GDP growth dynamics and enhances residents' well-being. The forecast appears highly promising in terms of economics, logistics, and job creation, as well as greater consumer availability of goods. Tourism is also an essential industry to mention. I believe it will also benefit the economies of the states and increase tourism inside the association's region," he said.
According to Akhundov, the main areas of this concept are logistics, transportation, and, of course, tourism.
"We can see how aggressively states are preparing their logistics chains and transportation hubs for the implementation of this notion. I believe this is already producing returns in the form of economic growth, and we can see how much states are willing to invest in this, knowing how much it will pay large dividends in the future," he said.
Speaking about the changes that the Azerbaijani side will be able to make within the framework of the TURAN project, he noted that primarily it is about the development of transportation and logistics chains.
"We can see how hard Azerbaijan is working in this area. For example, we can consider the work done in occupied regions that has been released. The airport in Fuzuli was finished in a short amount of time, as was the airport development project in Zangilan. This is due to Azerbaijan's capacity to implement huge projects rapidly and aggressively. Naturally, there are several additional initiatives to be carried out in the liberated lands. However, Azerbaijan's earnestness, confidence, and accomplishment in these areas are immediately apparent. I am optimistic that we will see further progress in this area in the near future. All of this has an impact on the improvement of commodity transit through our area," he concluded.
The TURAN project is becoming more than just an economic phenomenon, joining countries with Turkic heritage. According to experts, this technique has tremendous promise for growing commercial links, enhancing logistics operations, and offering new chances for tourism growth. However, successful project implementation necessitates the active participation and coordinated work of the participating countries, as well as the creation of technological, legislative, and institutional support. In this scenario, the development of an institutional body within the organization appears to be a vital step in ensuring the project's long-term viability. Prospects for regional development, greater employment, and market diversity give this program significant importance and justify hopes for its effective execution.
Possible modifications to lay the groundwork for the Azerbaijani side's preparation for the project could occur quickly. This is because Azerbaijan has already proven its ability to complete such projects promptly and accurately. Azerbaijan has chaired the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) on numerous occasions and has successfully staged events in Shusha. Given this broad experience, it is safe to conclude that we will not have to wait long, and we will see the consequences of the work that the Government of Azerbaijan is undertaking today in the next few years.
Stay up to date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel