Türkiye and Uzbekistan are seeking to expand economic cooperation across trade, investment, transportation and digital technologies as Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev prepares to attend the 13th Organization of Turkic States (OTS) summit in Ankara on Oct. 29-30.

The summit, hosted by Türkiye, comes as the organization prepares its 2027-2031 strategy, aimed at setting priorities for regional cooperation and strengthening economic ties among member states.

Economic cooperation within the OTS has increasingly expanded beyond traditional trade and investment to include industrial partnerships, transportation corridors, digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence and joint financing mechanisms.

OTS Secretary-General Kubanychbek Omuraliev and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met on Sept. 8 to discuss the summit's organization, agenda and expected outcomes.

According to Uzbek diplomatic assessments, the combined nominal gross domestic product (GDP) of OTS countries reached approximately $2.3 trillion by the end of 2025, while their combined GDP based on purchasing power parity exceeded $6.2 trillion.

Their total foreign trade surpassed $1.2 trillion, underscoring the economic potential of a region connecting Central Asia, the South Caucasus and European markets through Türkiye.

Despite these figures, trade among OTS members remains relatively limited compared with their combined economic capacity, highlighting opportunities for stronger regional integration.

Expanding industrial cooperation

Member countries are increasingly focusing on developing joint production chains, reducing transportation costs and financing cross-border investment projects. Their complementary economic structures provide opportunities for cooperation across multiple sectors.

Türkiye has an established manufacturing base in machinery, automotive production, electronics, textiles and chemicals, while Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan hold significant positions in energy, metallurgy and petrochemicals.

Uzbekistan's expanding textile, automotive, chemical and food industries, alongside Kyrgyzstan's agricultural and light manufacturing sectors, offer additional opportunities for integrated regional supply chains.

The planned 2027-2031 strategy is expected to provide a framework for translating these opportunities into concrete economic initiatives.

The Ankara summit will also offer member states an opportunity to review progress on connectivity, investment and digital transformation while identifying priorities for future cooperation.

For OTS countries, deeper economic integration will increasingly depend not only on expanding trade volumes but also on connecting businesses, strengthening industrial partnerships and improving regional supply chains.

Uzbekistan-OTS ties

Uzbekistan's total foreign trade reached $81.2 billion in 2025, comprising $33.8 billion in exports and $47.4 billion in imports.

Kazakhstan and Türkiye remained among Uzbekistan's major trading partners, with bilateral trade reaching $5 billion and $3 billion, respectively. Together, the two countries accounted for nearly 10% of Uzbekistan's total foreign trade.

Economic ties with Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Hungary have also strengthened the importance of the broader Turkic region as a market for Uzbek goods and services.

Uzbekistan exported $1.5 billion worth of goods and services to Kazakhstan in 2025, followed by $1.1 billion to Türkiye and $771.1 million to Kyrgyzstan.

Industrial goods accounted for 28.2% of Uzbekistan's exports to OTS countries, while machinery and transportation equipment represented 19%. Services made up 12.7%, food products 11.1% and chemicals 10%.

Imports from OTS countries were dominated by food products at 22.8%, mineral fuels at 20.3%, industrial goods at 18.1%, and machinery and transportation equipment at 12.9%.

The figures suggest that Uzbekistan's trade with Turkic countries extends beyond raw materials and is increasingly linked to manufacturing, industrial supply chains and domestic production.

Despite growing trade volumes, Uzbekistan has yet to fully capitalize on opportunities in OTS markets, according to estimates by the Center for Economic Research and Reforms.

The center estimates that Uzbekistan could increase exports to OTS countries by an additional $2.7 billion, with Türkiye accounting for the largest share at $1.8 billion.

Kazakhstan offers an estimated $500 million in additional export potential, followed by Hungary at $200 million and Kyrgyzstan at $100 million.

Agriculture and food products are among the sectors offering significant opportunities, with the combined agricultural market of OTS countries estimated at approximately $72 billion.

Uzbekistan could expand exports of fresh fruits and vegetables, processed foods, textiles, electronics, construction materials, mineral fertilizers, copper products and polymers.

Türkiye's large consumer market and access to European and Mediterranean markets make it a key destination for potential export growth.

Kazakhstan also offers opportunities for industrial cooperation because of its geographic proximity, established transportation networks and links to Central Asian production chains.

Closer coordination of industrial production, logistics and trade policies could help Uzbekistan realize its untapped export potential while strengthening economic integration among Turkic states.

Investment cooperation

Investment cooperation among OTS members has expanded alongside growing trade ties, with investment flows into Uzbekistan recording significant growth in recent years.

Between 2017 and 2025, investments from OTS member states into Uzbekistan exceeded $11.5 billion, including $3.8 billion in 2025 alone.

Türkiye emerged as Uzbekistan's largest investor among OTS countries, with investments totaling $2.4 billion. The funds were primarily directed toward manufacturing, energy, agriculture, construction and logistics.

As of April 2026, more than 4,500 enterprises with capital participation from OTS countries were operating in Uzbekistan.

The growing number of businesses reflects a broader structural shift in economic relations among Turkic states.

While trade typically involves the cross-border exchange of goods, foreign direct investment establishes longer-term economic ties through capital, technology transfers, employment, local supply chains and export networks.

Against this backdrop, expanding joint industrial projects within the OTS could provide a stronger foundation for further growth in trade among member states.

Differences in the economic specializations of Turkic states could offer significant opportunities to develop such cross-border production networks, strengthening regional economic integration and long-term investment cooperation.

Turkic Investment Fund

One of the most significant institutional developments in the economic integration of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) has been the launch of operations by the Turkic Investment Fund (TIF).

In 2025, the fund's capital was increased from $500 million to $600 million, with Uzbekistan holding a $100 million share.

However, the fund's economic significance extends beyond its capital base, as it also has the potential to mobilize additional resources from international financial institutions to support investment projects across member states.

On June 17, 2026, the TIF signed an agreement with the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD), a member of the Islamic Development Bank Group, to establish an Islamic co-financing program worth up to $50 million.

The initiative aims to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through local financial institutions in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Türkiye and Uzbekistan.

A second financing initiative followed on July 1, when the TIF signed an agreement to provide up to $10 million in financing to Kazakhstan's KMF Bank, while the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) agreed to provide up to $50 million.

The financing is intended to expand access to credit for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, supporting private-sector development and economic activity in Kazakhstan.

The two agreements highlight an emerging trend in regional financial cooperation, suggesting that the TIF could evolve beyond a traditional investment institution that relies solely on its own resources.

Instead, the fund could serve as a platform for channeling international financing into projects across OTS member states, helping attract investment from major development banks and other financial institutions.

Such an approach could mobilize investment resources far exceeding the fund's $600 million capital base.

The mechanism could play a particularly important role in financing joint industrial projects, transportation networks, energy infrastructure, digital connectivity and small businesses, further strengthening economic integration among Turkic states.

Integrated logistics network

Transportation costs and delivery times remain key factors shaping trade growth among member states of the OTS.

Limited direct access to seaports in Central Asian countries has made logistics costs a major factor affecting export competitiveness.

Against this backdrop, the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, also known as the Middle Corridor, has emerged as a key component of economic cooperation within the OTS.

The route connects Central Asia to Azerbaijan, Georgia and Türkiye via the Caspian Sea, providing access to European markets.

For Uzbekistan, the corridor's strategic importance is expected to increase further with the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway.

Connecting the new railway to the Trans-Caspian route could strengthen Uzbekistan's position in an east-west logistics network linking China to the Caucasus and Europe through Central Asia.

However, developing a modern transport corridor requires more than expanding railway and road infrastructure.

Border crossing procedures, transport permits, customs declarations, shipping documents and cargo tracking systems also directly affect transportation costs and delivery times.

Digitalization has therefore become an increasingly important priority in the OTS' transportation agenda.

The e-Permit electronic transport permit system has been introduced among OTS member states to facilitate cross-border transportation.

At the ninth meeting of OTS transport ministers, held in Bishkek on April 23, 2026, officials welcomed the implementation of the system and signed a memorandum of understanding on introducing the electronic consignment note for international road transport, known as e-CMR.

At a summit held in Turkistan in May, the Uzbek president highlighted the full implementation of the e-Permit system among OTS member states.

He also proposed linking the Middle Corridor with the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, developing a simplified customs corridor and expanding digital data exchange and cargo tracking systems.

Integrating these initiatives into a single framework could help establish a comprehensive logistics network across the OTS region, enabling not only the movement of goods but also the digital exchange of transport documents and data.

Such integration could reduce border delays, lower administrative costs and make delivery schedules more predictable for exporters, ultimately improving trade efficiency and regional connectivity.

Technological integration

Economic cooperation within the OTS gained a new dimension in 2026, with digital infrastructure, emerging technologies and artificial intelligence becoming increasingly prominent areas of collaboration.

At an informal summit held in Turkistan on May 15 under the theme "Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development," leaders discussed expanding digital infrastructure, promoting innovative technologies and exploring practical applications of artificial intelligence.

During the summit, Uzbekistan proposed developing a "Digital Turkic Corridor" aimed at connecting data centers across member states through high-speed communication networks.

The country also called for establishing a strategic cooperation network on artificial intelligence, organizing a technology forum in Tashkent and strengthening technological collaboration among Turkic states.

The proposals highlight growing parallels between transportation connectivity and digital integration across the region.

While the Middle Corridor facilitates the movement of goods between Central Asia, the Caucasus and Europe, the proposed Digital Turkic Corridor could accelerate cross-border data flows and strengthen digital connectivity.

Together, the initiatives could establish two complementary pillars of regional integration: physical and digital infrastructure.

The physical network would encompass roads, railways, ports, logistics hubs and customs facilities, while the digital network would include data centers, telecommunications systems, cloud computing, artificial intelligence infrastructure and digital services.

Integrating these networks could create new opportunities for economic cooperation in areas such as e-commerce, digital logistics, financial technology (fintech), cross-border services and the digital management of manufacturing processes.

Economic cooperation within the Organization of Turkic States presents several opportunities for Uzbekistan, ranging from expanding export markets and industrial partnerships to improving transportation links, financing access and digital integration.

One of the most significant opportunities lies in expanding export markets. Uzbekistan's estimated additional export potential of $2.7 billion represents considerable room for growth compared with its current trade volume.

Another key area is industrial cooperation. Türkiye's industrial and technological capabilities, Kazakhstan's and Azerbaijan's natural resources, and Uzbekistan's labor force and developing manufacturing sector could complement one another, creating opportunities for joint production and integrated supply chains.

Transportation connectivity also offers significant economic potential.

Linking the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway to the Middle Corridor could strengthen Uzbekistan's role in East-West transit trade, expanding its logistics capacity and improving access to international markets.

Access to financing represents another opportunity. The Turkic Investment Fund and co-financing mechanisms developed with international financial institutions could provide additional resources for private-sector projects and regional investment initiatives.

The digital economy is also emerging as a potential driver of growth.

Integrating data centers, artificial intelligence technologies, e-commerce platforms and electronic transport documentation could create conditions for trade in services to expand faster than trade in goods.

Realizing Uzbekistan's estimated $2.7 billion in additional export potential will require addressing barriers related to product standards, certification, logistics costs, financing and market access across individual product categories.

Similarly, the economic efficiency of a transportation corridor should be assessed not merely by its length or the number of countries it connects, but also through measurable indicators such as cargo delivery times, transportation costs per ton and waiting times at border crossings.