Türkiye’s total annual trade volume with the member and observer states of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) reached $27.8 billion as of July, the Turkish Ministry of Trade said on Monday, August 31.

The ministry emphasized that economic and trade relations with the OTS member and observer states are developing on the basis of shared history, cultural ties and a strategic partnership approach.

The Ministry of Trade recalled that the OTS was established in 2009 and adopted its current name at the Istanbul Summit in 2021. It stressed that the organization continues its activities with the aim of strengthening political dialogue, deepening economic integration and promoting regional stability. Its members are Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, while Turkmenistan, Hungary and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) have observer status.

Trade Turnover with OTS Member States Grows 20-Fold

The Ministry of Trade highlighted its targeted efforts to strengthen trade integration with the Turkic world.

“Türkiye’s foreign trade with the OTS member states, which stood at $871 million in 2002, increased nearly 20-fold by the end of 2025, reaching $16.9 billion. In 2025, the largest trade volume among OTS countries was recorded with Kazakhstan at $7.8 billion, followed by Azerbaijan at $4.3 billion, Uzbekistan at $3.1 billion, and Kyrgyzstan at $1.6 billion,” the ministry said.

The ministry also noted that trade with the organization’s countries has maintained steady momentum during the first seven months of this year.

“Between January and July, Türkiye’s trade turnover with the OTS member states increased by 6.6% compared with the same period last year, reaching $10.1 billion. In addition, our trade with the OTS observer states — Turkmenistan, Hungary and the TRNC — continues to grow. In 2025, our total trade with these countries increased by 6.8% compared with the previous year, reaching $10 billion,” the ministry said.

In January–July 2026, total trade with the observer states increased by 5.1% compared with the same period last year, reaching $6.1 billion.

Thus, as of July 2026, Türkiye’s total annual trade turnover with the OTS member and observer states reached $27.8 billion.

Importance of the Turkic Region in International Trade Has Increased Further

The Ministry of Trade emphasized that the shift in the center of global production and trade from West to East over the past quarter-century has further increased the strategic importance of the Turkic region in international trade and logistics networks.

The ministry noted that the transformation of the global economy has made regional cooperation more valuable than ever.

“The opportunities offered by the Middle Corridor represent significant potential for the economic integration of the Turkic world. In this regard, based on our shared history, cultural ties and mutual trust, the Ministry of Trade intends to continue resolutely working to strengthen economic and trade integration within the OTS, make effective use of the strategic advantages of the Middle Corridor, and further strengthen the position of the Turkic world in global trade,” the ministry said.