Cooperation of the Turkic World is Getting Stronger in the Field of Development As Well

“Memorandum of Understanding”, which includes cooperation in various fields, was signed between Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) and the Organization of Turkic States, with a ceremony hosted at OTS headquarters in Istanbul.

The memorandum of understanding signed between the Organization of Turkic States Secretary General, Ambassador Kubanychbek Omuraliyev, and President of TİKA, Serkan Kayalar, aims to strengthen and improve the cooperation between institutions.

In his speech during the signing ceremony, Ambassador Omuraliyev stated that the memorandum signs the beginning of a strategic partnership that will aim to encourage cooperation and sharing of information and experiences.

Noting that an extensive frame that covers the common interests and desires of OTS and TİKA towards regional development has been determined, Omuraliyev stated:

“The goal of this memorandum is clear. It is to strengthen cooperation, improve the partnerships on regional development, and commonly find solutions for the challenges our member states face. With this cooperation, we aim to contribute to internationally accepted development goals, including Sustainable Development Goals, and to create a synergy that will positively impact the region’s socioeconomic landscape.”

Omuraliyev noted that the memorandum of understanding reflects on the decisiveness of handling development in various fields of cooperation, such as health, education, trade, and environment, and that the memorandum is quite extensive and embodies the spirit of cooperation.

“We have taken an important step”

In his speech during the signing ceremony, President of TİKA, Kayalar, stated that the Turkic world has special importance, as it is the area in which the establishment tale of TİKA first started.

Stating that TİKA quickly institutionalized and started to install offices in the countries of the Turkic world, which became independent in 1992, and that it has been carrying out projects for the prosperity of the Turkic world for more than 30 years, Kayalar noted that today, the Turkic world has reached to a whole other level both on an institutional sense and on a regional sense, and it is so pleasing to see the level the Turkic world has reached, both on economy and on their contribution to the matters around the world.

Noting that OTS is quite important for the Turkic world, Kayalar stated: “Heads of the state, ministers of exterior affairs, secretary generals, are all taking such valuable actions for the Turkic states. We, as TİKA, have offices in all of the states, both member states and observers. Through our offices, we are on the field, and also, with the memorandum of understanding today, we hopefully have taken an important step with the member states of OTS on development cooperation and on common projects that can be carried out in every field of development.”

Referring to “Turkic World Vision 2040”, Kayalar emphasized that he believes the projects that will be carried out within the frame of the memorandum will contribute to this vision and Sustainable Development Goals.

Kayalar stated that the efforts towards deepening and diversifying the cooperation will continue.

The signed protocol is planned to work on strengthening the cooperation between the member states within “Sustainable Development” goals and to form various cooperation and development partnerships to encourage regional development, along with enabling the institutions to share information and experiences among themselves on various fields; such as especially health, education, urban development and reduction of poverty, elimination of social gender inequality, transportation, trade, energy, water and sanitation, industry and SME, agriculture and food security, and also tourism, urban development, climate change, and protection of environment.