BUDAPEST, November 3. /Dunyo IA/. Senior Research Fellow at the Hungarian Institute of International Affairs Sándor Seremet, in an interview with Dunyo IA, commented on the participation of the President of Uzbekistan in the 13^th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), held in Ankara:

- The 13^th OTS Summit demonstrated Uzbekistan's desire to give Turkic cooperation a more significant economic substance. The initiatives of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev are aimed at transforming the organization from a platform for political dialogue and cultural solidarity into a mechanism for industrial cooperation, investment attraction and the development of transport connectivity.

Economic prerequisites for this exist: the trade turnover of Uzbekistan with the OTS member states, including observers Turkmenistan and Hungary, grew from $4.13 billion in 2017 to $10.82 billion in 2025. However, a trade imbalance in favour of imports persists, which is why it is important for the country to develop its own production capacities, create value chains and enter international markets with finished products.

“Turkic World – 100” program proposed by Shavkat Mirziyoyev aligns with this logic, providing for the implementation of one hundred joint investment and industrial projects, including in the field of processing rare minerals and manufacturing equipment for “green” energy. Financing of these initiatives is expected to be secured by involving the Turkic Investment Fund and international financial institutions.

No less important is the development of transport connectivity. The creation of a network of jointly managed logistics complexes of the Turkic states is designed to transform the Middle Corridor into a fully functioning economic system. The European Union is also interested in its development within the framework of the “Global Gateway” initiative.

For Uzbekistan, construction of the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway and the prospects of the Trans-Afghan route are of particular importance. Their integration with the Middle Corridor can expand the country's capabilities as a transit and manufacturing hub.

“OTS Plus” initiative also deserves attention, as it involves engaging external partners in specific economic projects and allows the organization to avoid becoming a closed geopolitical bloc.