A signing ceremony was held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, to establish a joint network among the Red Crescent societies of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS).
The event took place in the Conference Hall of the National History Museum, where representatives from member states gathered to formalize their collaboration.
The memorandum of understanding was signed by Novruzali Aslanov, president of the Azerbaijan Red Crescent; Chingiz Jakypov, president of the Kyrgyzstan Red Crescent; Erkebek Argybayev, president of the Kazakhstan Red Crescent; Fatma Meriç Yılmaz, president of the Turkish Red Crescent; and Elvira Amiraliyeva, executive director of the Uzbekistan Red Crescent.
The ceremony was attended by Türkiye’s ambassador to Bishkek, Ahmet Sadık Doğan, and Azerbaijan’s ambassador to Bishkek, Latif Gandilov, along with officials from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
During the ceremony, the leaders emphasized the importance of cooperation in humanitarian aid. Fatma Meriç Yılmaz highlighted that they plan to open the secretariat in Türkiye following the approval of the joint network at the upcoming OTS summit in November.
Aslanov and Argybayev shared insights into their organizations' efforts and the challenges they face. Argybayev noted the importance of unity during disasters, stating that their combined strength would enable better responses in the future.
Amiraliyeva expressed optimism about the network's potential to minimize disaster risks and strengthen ties among the countries.
Seval Güzelkılınç from the IFRC remarked on the significance of the newly established network in achieving common humanitarian goals.
Ambassador Gandilov recalled the collective support provided by Turkic nations during the earthquake in Kahramanmaraş.
The creation of this joint network marks an important step in enhancing humanitarian cooperation among Turkic states, allowing for more effective responses to future challenges.
