OTS foreign ministers convene in Ankara ahead of 13th summit
16:01, 29/10/2026, Thursday
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The Organization of Turkic States convened its Council of Foreign Ministers in Ankara to prepare for the 13th summit, where Türkiye will assume the chairmanship from Azerbaijan.
Ministerial gathering opens in Ankara
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Thursday opened the Council of Foreign Ministers meeting of the Organization of Turkic States in Ankara, bringing together top diplomats from member states ahead of the organization's 13th summit. Diplomatic sources said Fidan hosted the gathering at the ministerial level, with participants posing for a family photograph before proceeding with closed-door consultations on regional cooperation and institutional development.
Summit to focus on 'Turkic Century'
The ministerial session sets the stage for the heads of state summit hosted by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday and Friday, convened under the theme "Turkic Century: Unity in Language, Thought and Deed." The OTS said in a statement that leaders will gather to "discuss the current state and future prospects of cooperation within the Organization," with particular emphasis placed on "further strengthening unity and solidarity" among member states and advancing cooperation under the Turkic World Vision 2040 framework.
Chairmanship handover
The summit marks the formal handover of the OTS chairmanship from Azerbaijan to Türkiye, with Ankara assuming leadership of the organization for the upcoming term. "The Heads of State are expected to adopt the Ankara Declaration, together with a number of decisions and documents aimed at deepening cooperation and further strengthening the institutional framework of the OTS," the organization said. The gathering is also expected to address the appointment of a new secretary general and finalize the organization's strategic priorities for the forthcoming period.
Organization structure
Established in 2009 as the Turkic Council, the organization adopted its current name during its eighth summit in Istanbul in 2021. Full members include Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, while Turkmenistan, Hungary, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the Economic Cooperation Organization hold observer status.
