Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Against the background of geopolitical changes taking place in the world, the position and strategic importance of the Organization of Turkic States as a promising regional organization is increasing. It complements other regional platforms and initiatives in Central Asia, contributing to strengthening interregional connectivity.

Uzbekistan considers the Organization to be an effective mechanism of regional cooperation with great unrealized opportunities and unifying potential.

Uzbekistan has been actively participating in the Organization of Turkic States. In particular, the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev put forward more than 35 specific and important initiatives aimed at further development of multilateral cooperation within this organization. To date, more than 20 of these initiatives have been implemented. 

In particular, the forum of young entrepreneurs was established and its first meeting called "IDEA - Forum of Young Entrepreneurs" was held in Uzbekistan on 20 September 2021.

More than 200 young entrepreneurs from Azerbaijan, Turkey, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, international experts, ministers responsible for youth issues of the member countries of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States (now the Organization of Turkic States), as well as the leadership of the Secretariat of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States participated in the forum.

The initiative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan to hold this event as a mechanism of practical cooperation on youth support among the member countries of the Council was put forward by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan at the 7th Summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking Countries, held in Baku in October 2019.

If we take into account that the share of youth in the total population of the member countries of the Organization of Turkic States is 29 percent and 60 percent of the population of Uzbekistan is made up of young people, effective support of young people in the implementation of their projects and creation of favorable conditions for the development of youth entrepreneurship is of great importance to the growth of the economies of the member countries of the organization. has a positive effect.

Projects on digitalization of transport and customs procedures have been implemented. In particular, the "ePermit" pilot project was tested between Uzbekistan and Turkey, the "digital TIR" and "green corridor" pilot projects were launched between Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

Uzbekistan’s major logistics centers: "Universal Logistics Service" (Tashkent), "Akhtachi" (Andijan) and "Termez Cargo Center" (Surkhondarya) joined the "Brother Ports" process of the Organization of Turkic States on 14 October 2021.

Proposals for cooperation in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic were made and, a special coordinating group for fighting against the pandemic and a permanent system for joint monitoring, analysis and forecasting of the epidemiological situation were formed within the framework of the Organization of Turkic States.

In June 2021, the 6th meeting of tourism ministers of the member states of the Organization of Turkic States was held. In 2022, Qoqand was announced as the "Tourist Capital of the Turkic World".

It is known that since 2012, the International Turkish Cultural Organization "TURKSOY" has established the practice of declaring the famous and historical cities of the member states as "Turkish capital of world culture".

For the first time, the city of Qoqand was announced as the "tourist capital of the Turkic world". Throughout 2022, large-scale events are being held in member states in order to promote the tourism potential and brand of this city.

The project "Tabarruk Ziyarat" was launched and the "road map" on Tourism was adopted.

Today, religious tourism is developing rapidly. According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the number of direct visitors to holy sites is 7 million per year.

In recent years, there have been significant positive changes in opening new directions of pilgrimage tourism in Uzbekistan. In particular, there is the Center of Islamic Civilization in Tashkent, the "Imam Bukhari" complex and the International Scientific Research Center in Samarkand region, as well as the School of Hadith Science, "Holy Bukhara" pilgrimage destinations.

There are many mausoleums in our country that have been recognized by scholars of the Islamic world and have become holy places. 12 scholars who promoted the science of Bahavuddin Naqshbandi have settled forever in different corners of our regions. Among them, intensive work is currently being carried out on the improvement of Etti pir shrines in Bukhara and Khoja Ahror Vali shrines in Samarkand.

As part of promoting the city of Qoqand to the status of "tourist capital of the Turkic world", an international conference was organized in this city on 8-10 June 2022 on the topic "The role of the Khanate of Qoqand in the development of the statehood and cultural heritage of the Turkic peoples". 20 speakers from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Hungary, about 30 higher educational institutions, as well as more than 50 representatives of international organizations and expert communities came to participate in the event.

In this complex, the establishment of the Qoqand Khanate, state administration, military potential, economic and social life, the importance of its cities/fortresses, international relations and its place in the Central Asian region, the spiritual, cultural and literary heritage of the Khanate, the educational system, historiography, modernism and the national liberation movement, the experience of national democratic statehood on the example of "Turkistan Autonomy", Ferghana Valley in the struggle for freedom and national heroes, demographic changes and ethnic situation in the khanate, the role of Ferghana Valley in regional stability were discussed.

On 3-4 July 2022, the first meeting of the Ministers of Agriculture of the member states of the Turkish Transport Association was held in Tashkent, and the First Turkish Agroforum was organized with the participation of more than 300 representatives of the ministries of the member states, international and regional organizations, and business circles of the member states and observers.

Within the framework of the Turkish agro-forum, the main focus was on expanding economic interdependence in the agro-industrial complex, including increasing the volume of trade and attracting investments for the implementation of mutually beneficial projects between member states and countries.

It is known that the Forum of Young Leaders was organized in order to develop tourism, strengthen cooperation between Turkic countries, and exchange mutual experience. Since 2018, it has been held first in Azerbaijan, and then in the Republics of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

The IV Forum of Young Leaders was organized in Bukhara on 3-4 June 2022 as part of the "Year of Supporting Youth Initiatives". During the forum, Bukhara was declared "the first youth capital of the Turkic world".

As part of the forum, the "Park of the Turkic World Youth" and the "Bukhara City, the Capital of the First Turkic World Youth Initiatives" monument were opened. Also, a special certificate was handed over that the city of Bukhara received the status of the first Turkic world capital of youth initiatives.

The Alisher Navoi international award "For contribution to ensuring the unity of the Turkic world" was established. In particular, at the Istanbul Summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking Countries on 12 November 2021, a decision was made "On the Alisher Navoi International Award of the Organization of Turkic States for Contribution to the Turkic World Unity" and for the first time the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev was awarded with the "Highest Order of the Turkic World".

The establishment of the international award named after Alisher Navoi brings the Turkic-speaking countries closer to each other and serves as a great moral bond that binds them together.

Also, holding international scientific conferences dedicated to the cultural heritage of scholars such as Mahmoud Koshgari, Yusuf Khos Hajib, Alisher Navoi, Musa Al-Khorazmi, the creation of the structure of the Turkish State Initiative for Environmental Protection and Climate Change, the International Center for the Study of the Heritage of Turkic Peoples, IT specialists platform, the Engineering-Technology Center and the Research Center for Trade Cooperation of the Turkish States and others help to strengthen multifaceted cooperation within the Organization of Turkic States.

Uzbekistan’s chairmanship of the organization in 2022-2023 will be another good opportunity to implement this strategy of Tashkent.

Farkhod Primov,

Doctor of Philosophy, associate professor