In her article, Dilorum Mamatkulova, a leading researcher at the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan, addresses issues related to the deepening of relations between Turkey and Central Asia. She emphasizes that this cooperation, based on common historical and cultural roots and mutual economic interests, creates a new architecture of regional ties:
“Various multilateral formats and bilateral initiatives form a reliable platform for cooperation in areas such as trade, energy, transport, and ecology, turning geographical proximity into a foundation for long-term stability and joint progress.
In the context of the diversification of the foreign policy orientations of Central Asian countries and the strengthening of the Eurasian aspect of Turkish diplomacy, this partnership takes on a systematic character, going beyond individual projects and creating a sustainable architecture for regional cooperation.
The Political Foundation for the Institutionalization of Cooperation
The Organization of Turkic States (OTS) is an important tool for political interaction, evolving from a cultural and educational association into a powerful center encompassing the space from Central Asia to the Caucasus and Europe. Regular summits of OTS leaders demonstrate progress in practical cooperation. In this context, Uzbekistan and its President Shavkat Mirziyoyev play a key role, acting as initiators of deepening interaction within the OTS.
At the summit in Gabala (Azerbaijan) in October 2025, the President of Uzbekistan proposed to develop a strategy for the OTS's development until 2030 and to create a Permanent Council for Economic Partnership in Tashkent. These initiatives aim to coordinate economic projects, support entrepreneurship, and enhance the efficiency of interaction, confirming Uzbekistan's aspiration to become a center for regional integration and a platform for sustainable development.
At the same time, Turkey is intensifying its participation in other multilateral structures, such as the CICA and SCO, seeking to obtain full membership status. This multi-format strategy allows for the adaptation of the agenda to various tasks, ranging from confidence-building measures in security to the coordination of transport corridors.
On January 20, 2026, a meeting of the Joint Strategic Planning Group took place with the participation of the foreign ministers of Uzbekistan and Turkey, confirming the readiness of the parties to deepen coordination within the UN, OSCE, OIC, and ECO, as well as to support each other's candidacies in international organizations. This approach transforms bilateral relations into an element of a global diplomatic strategy, where support on international platforms becomes a mutually beneficial asset.
Economy: From Trade to Strategic Investments
Investments demonstrate even more impressive dynamics. From 2016 to 2024, the volume of Turkish investments in Central Asia increased 2.5 times—from $1.1 billion to $3 billion, significantly exceeding the overall growth of Turkish investments in the Eurasian space during the same period (34%). Central Asia accounts for 24% of all accumulated Turkish investments in the region. The number of Turkish companies in the region grew from 4,000 in 2016 to over 7,000 in 2025, and in Uzbekistan, Turkey ranks third among foreign investors after China and Russia, with over 2,000 enterprises (including 438 joint ventures).
Turkish businesses are gradually shifting from working with small enterprises to implementing large infrastructure projects in areas such as construction, telecommunications, textiles, and the agro-industrial sector. Within the OTS, key documents such as the “Strategy-2026” and “Strategy-2040” have been approved, aimed at creating a common economic space, including a unified energy system and a regional development bank. Uzbekistan's initiative to expand the activities of the Turkic Investment Fund and implement the “OTS Roadmap for Artificial Intelligence and the Creative Economy” indicates a transition to high-tech aspects of cooperation.
Energy Complementarity: From Hydrocarbons to Green Transformation
Central Asia has rich hydrocarbon reserves: Kazakhstan has 30 billion barrels of oil, Turkmenistan ranks fifth in the world in gas reserves, and Uzbekistan has significant undeveloped fields. Turkey, aiming to become an energy hub, provides the regions with access to the European market, which is particularly relevant in the context of decarbonization and reducing dependence on Russian supplies.
The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline, originally intended for Azerbaijani oil, has become an important trans-Caspian export route, through which oil has been supplied from Kazakhstan since 2008 and from Turkmenistan since 2010.
Negotiations are also underway for the supply of Turkmen gas through the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP), as part of plans to double its capacity from 16 to 32 billion cubic meters.
Countries in the region are actively transitioning to renewable energy sources. In Uzbekistan, the Turkish holding “Cengiz” has completed the construction of two power plants with a total capacity of 460 MW, and the construction of another station with a capacity of over 500 MW in the Jizzakh region is ongoing. According to estimates by the International Renewable Energy Agency, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan have enormous potential not only for domestic production of “green” energy but also for its export.
The culmination of this direction is the Trans-Caspian Green Energy Corridor project. This initiative, developed by the Green Corridor Alliance (a joint Kazakh-Uzbek-Azerbaijani enterprise) with financing from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, will connect the power grids of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan with Azerbaijan across the Caspian Sea for subsequent electricity exports to Turkey and Europe. An agreement on strategic partnership for this project was signed by the three countries at COP29 in Baku in 2024.
The Middle Corridor as an Artery of Development
The Trans-Caspian route (Middle Corridor) has become a strategically important alternative land artery connecting China to Europe through Central Asia, the Caspian Sea, the South Caucasus, and Turkey. It is expected that by 2030, the volume of cargo transportation along this route will double, enhancing the economic interdependence of the participants and increasing their geostrategic significance.
Uzbekistan actively supports the development of the Middle Corridor, viewing it as an important factor for sustainable growth of the regional economy. The infrastructural interdependence created within this project forms long-term incentives for stability in relations between Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and Turkey, turning transport cooperation into a tool for strengthening regional security.
Cultural and Humanitarian Dimension: The Foundation of Sustainable Partnership
Historical and cultural ties, rooted in common Turkic origins, remain the foundation of modern partnership. Countries continue to develop educational programs within the framework of the “Turkic World” concept. Several universities operate in Central Asia, including the International Turkic States University and the Turkish University of Economics and Technology. Special attention is paid to increasing the number of scholarships for students from Uzbekistan under the “Türkiye Bursları” program and developing joint scholarship initiatives. Such exchanges in the fields of science and culture contribute to the formation of strong ties between the peoples of Turkey and Central Asia.
Digital cooperation is also becoming an important aspect. Joint projects in artificial intelligence, digitalization of public administration, and the development of creative industries open up new opportunities for engagement. The increase in tourist flows and media exchanges contributes to the formation of a unified information and communication space, which is particularly relevant in the context of global information competition.
Overall, cooperation between Central Asia and Turkey demonstrates a transition from situational interactions to a systematic model based on the complementarity of resources, infrastructure, and strategic interests. Turkey gains access to energy resources and transit routes, strengthening its status as a Eurasian hub, while Central Asian states diversify their foreign policy and economic ties, enhancing their autonomy and competitiveness.
The prospects for partnership are defined by three key directions: deepening economic integration through the OTS and bilateral agreements; joint implementation of cross-border infrastructure projects in the energy and transport sectors; and the development of “green” and digital agendas as fundamental aspects of sustainable development.
Thus, the successful fulfillment of these tasks requires ongoing dialogue, harmonization of legal norms, and strengthening trust between the parties. However, it is already evident that cooperation between Central Asia and Turkey creates a solid platform for regional stability and shared prosperity in a multipolar world.
