While the rise of Eurasia has been continuously discussed over the last years, the emergence of the Organisation of Turkic States as a new global actor in the region is increasingly becoming a part of these debates. Most recently, the Organisation marked a milestone in cementing this notion by adopting ‘Turkic World Vision 2040’ in its last summit held in November 2021 in Istanbul. The strategic document presents a roadmap to achieve a set of common goals and has a particular emphasis on the development of commercial and economic relations.
This growing cooperation and solidarity among the member states and Türkiye’s ascendance as agenda setter in the Eurasian landscape has been a game changer for the great powers. With both Russia and China having vested geopolitical and economic interests in Central Asia, it remains to be seen whether they will approach this change in the balance of power as a potential threat or an opportunity to forge partnerships. For the Turkic states, this new vision of deepening cooperation provides an alternative path for attaining regional stability and prosperity. This session will explore the main tenets of the Organisation of Turkic States’ strategies while discussing existing challenges and future prospects.