Central Asia and Türkiye: a new stage of interconnectedness

The strategic rapprochement between Turkey and the Central Asian states, due to historical and cultural commonality and complementary economic interests, is forming a new architecture of regional interconnectedness. Through multilateral formats and bilateral initiatives, the parties create a sustainable platform for cooperation in trade, energy, transport and the green economy, turning geographic proximity into a factor of long-term stability and joint development.

In turn, this partnership, in the context of the diversification of foreign policy vectors of the Central Asian states and the strengthening of the Eurasian dimension of Turkish diplomacy, is acquiring a systemic character that goes beyond individual projects and forms a sustainable architecture regional connectivity.

Political basis for institutionalizing partnerships.

The key instrument of political interaction is the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), which has transformed from a cultural and educational association into a center of gravity in the space from Central Asia to the Caucasus and Europe. Regular summits of leaders of UTC countries demonstrate the transition to the practical phase of cooperation. Of particular importance in this context is the role of Uzbekistan and its President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who initiates deepening cooperation within the framework of the UTC.

At the summit in Gabala (Azerbaijan) in October 2025, the leader of Uzbekistan proposed the development of a development strategy for the Organization until 2030, as well as the creation of a Permanent Council for Economic Partnership with headquarters in Tashkent. These initiatives are aimed at coordinating economic projects, supporting business initiatives and increasing the efficiency of interaction, which underscores Uzbekistan’s desire to become a center of regional integration and a platform for sustainable development.

In parallel, Turkey is intensifying its participation in other multilateral structures related to Central Asia, such as the CICA and the SCO, where Ankara, having the status of a partner, strives for full membership. This multi-format nature makes it possible to flexibly adapt the agenda to specific tasks, from confidence-building measures in the security sector to the coordination of transport corridors.

On January 20, 2026, a meeting of the Joint Strategic Planning Group was held, co-chaired by the Foreign Ministers of Uzbekistan and Turkey, which confirmed the readiness of the parties to deepen coordination within the UN, OSCE, OIC and ECO, as well as mutually support candidates in international structures. This approach transforms bilateral relations into an element of a global diplomatic strategy, where support on international platforms becomes a mutual asset.

Economic dimension: from trade to strategic investments

Since 2018, the mutual trade turnover of the Central Asian region with Ankara has more than doubled - from $6 billion to $14.5 billion in 2025. Turkey has an ambitious goal of reaching $30 billion in bilateral trade with countries in the region.

Investment activity demonstrates even more impressive dynamics. From 2016 to 2024, the volume of Turkish investments in the region increased 2.5 times - from 1.1 to 3 billion dollars, which significantly exceeds the overall growth of Turkish investments in the Eurasian space over the same period (34%). Central Asia accounts for 24% of the total accumulated Turkish investments in Eurasia. The number of Turkish companies in the region has grown from 4 thousand in 2016 to more than 7 thousand in 2025, and in Uzbekistan, Turkey has taken the position of the third largest investor after China and Russia, with more than 2 thousand enterprises (including 438 joint ventures).

Turkish business is gradually moving from operations with small enterprises to the implementation of large-scale infrastructure projects in the construction, telecommunications, textile and agro-industrial sectors. Within the framework of the UTG, such key documents as “Strategy 2026” and “Strategy 2040” were approved, providing for the creation of 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 adopt the "UTG Roadmap on Artificial Intelligence and Creative Economy" indicates a transition to a high-tech cooperation agenda.

Energy complementarity: from hydrocarbons to green transformation

Central Asia has significant hydrocarbon reserves. Kazakhstan has 30 billion barrels of oil, Turkmenistan ranks fifth in the world in gas reserves, Uzbekistan has large undeveloped fields. Meanwhile, Turkey, seeking to become an energy hub, provides countries in the region with direct access to the European market as it decarbonizes and reduces dependence on Russian supplies.

The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline, originally intended for Azerbaijani oil, has been transformed into a trans-Caspian export route. Kazakhstan has been supplying its oil through it since 2008, Turkmenistan since 2010.

At the same time, negotiations are underway on the export of Turkmen gas via the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) in the context of plans to double its capacity from 16 to 32 billion cubic meters.

At the same time, countries in the region are actively moving towards renewable energy sources. In Uzbekistan, the Turkish holding Cengiz has completed the construction of two power plants with a total capacity of 460 MW in the Tashkent and Syrdarya regions, and the construction of a station with a capacity of over 500 MW in the Jizzakh region continues. According to estimates by the International Renewable Energy Agency, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan have enormous potential not only for the domestic production of green energy, but also for its export.

This development culminates in the Trans-Caspian Green Energy Corridor project. The initiative, being developed by the Green Corridor Alliance (a joint Kazakh-Uzbek-Azerbaijani venture) with funding from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, will connect the power grids of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to Azerbaijan across the Caspian Sea for subsequent export of electricity to Turkey and Europe. A strategic partnership agreement 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 acquired strategic importance as an alternative land artery connecting China with Europe through the Central Asia, the Caspian Sea, the South Caucasus and Turkey. According to forecasts, by 2030 the volume of cargo transportation along this route could double, which will strengthen the economic interdependence of the participants and increase their geostrategic importance.

Uzbekistan fully supports the strengthening of the Middle Corridor, considering it as a factor in the sustainable development of the regional economy. The infrastructural interdependence formed by this project creates long-term incentives for the stability of relations between the countries of Central Asia, the South Caucasus and Turkey, turning transport cooperation into a tool for strengthening regional security.

Cultural and humanitarian dimension: the basis of a sustainable partnership

Historical and cultural ties, rooted in the common Turkic heritage, remain the foundation of modern partnership. The parties are consistently developing educational programs within the framework of the “Turkic World” concept. There are several universities in Central Asia. In particular, the International University of Turkic States and the Turkish University of Economics and Technology operate in Uzbekistan. Particular attention is paid to increasing the number of scholarships for students from Uzbekistan in priority areas of the Türkiye Bursları program, as well as the development of joint scholarship programs. Such exchanges in the field of science and culture form stable horizontal ties between the peoples of Turkey and the countries of Central Asia.

Digital cooperation is becoming an important element. Joint projects in the field of artificial intelligence, digitalization of public administration and development of creative industries open new horizons for involvement in this process. The expansion of tourist flows and media exchanges contributes to the formation of a unified information and communication space, which is especially important in the context of global information competition.

In general, the partnership between Central Asia and Turkey demonstrates a transition from situational interaction to a systemic model of cooperation based on the complementarity of resources, infrastructures and strategic interests. Türkiye gains access to energy resources and transit routes, strengthening its status as a Eurasian hub, and Central Asian countries are diversifying their foreign policy and economic ties, increasing their autonomy and competitiveness.

Partnership prospects are determined by three key vectors: firstly, deepening economic integration through UTCs and bilateral agreements; secondly, joint implementation of cross-border infrastructure projects in energy and transport; thirdly, the development of the “green” and digital agenda as the basis for sustainable development.

Thus, the successful implementation of these tasks requires constant dialogue, harmonization of regulatory frameworks and strengthening of trust between the parties. However, it is already obvious today that the partnership between Central Asia and Turkey forms a solid platform for regional stability and shared prosperity in a multipolar world.

Dilorom Mamatkulova,

Leading Research Fellow, Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies

under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan