Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has proposed to organize joint technology park and establish startup companies and a joint investment fund of Turkic-speaking countries, CA-NEWS reported, citing Uzbek president’s press service.
Mirziyoyev reportedly remarked this yesterday while delivering a statement at the 7th Summit of the Turkic Council in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Uzbekistan joined the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States (Turkic Council) as a full-fledged member, as Turkic leaders gathered here for their seventh summit on October 15, according to the Azeri state-run news agency AZERTAC.
Participants included Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, former Kazakh leader Nursultan Nazarbayev, Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan Purli Agamuradov and the Council Secretary-General of the council Baghdad Amreyev.
Addressing the event, Aliyev hailed the council's role in developing cooperation among Turkic-speaking states in political, economic, transport, humanitarian, tourism and ICT areas. He also said the council maintained fruitful cooperation with international organizations, including the UN, Organization of Islamic Cooperation and Economic Cooperation Organization.
Uzbek President Mirziyoyev called October 15 a “historic” day for Uzbekistan. He noted the significance of developing trade and economic relations among Turkic-speaking states.
Uzbek president stressed the importance of effective use of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway. "Development of transport and logistics links will contribute to the development of relations between the countries, while also bringing Uzbekistan's cities closer to Europe," he said.
Mirziyoyev also put forward an initiative to establish a forum of young entrepreneurs of Turkic-speaking states. “Forty percent of the population of the Turkic Council member countries are youth. We therefore propose founding a forum of young entrepreneurs and holding its first meeting in Uzbekistan next year,” Uzbek leader said.
Founded by Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkey in 2009, the Turkic Council (or, in full, the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States (CCTS) is an international organization comprising some of the Turkic countries. The idea of setting up this cooperative council was first put forward by former Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev back in 2006.
The General Secretariat is in İstanbul, Turkey. The member countries are Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkey. Turkmenistan and Hungary are not currently official members of the council due to their neutral stance; however, they are possible future members of the council. Uzbekistan announced its intention to join the council on April 30, 2018, and formally applied for membership on September 12, 2019. Since late 2018, Hungary is an observer and may soon request full membership in the Turkic Council.
