Trade and Cooperation Between Türkiye and TDT Members Are Deepening

While Türkiye's mutual trade with the member countries of the Organization of Turkic States (TDT) Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan has reached 72.2 billion dollars in the last 5 years, its cooperation with these countries in many fields from free zones to artificial intelligence is deepening.

According to the information compiled by the AA correspondent, the organization was established on October 3, 2009 as the "Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking Countries" in order to transform the common ties between the states in the Turkic world into partnerships in geopolitical, economic and security fields. In line with the "Turkish World 2040 Vision Document" of the organization, which was renamed TDT in 2021, it is aimed to transform the member countries into a strong regional power that is politically, economically, culturally and socially integrated.

In this context, the medium and long-term goals of the organization include targets ranging from gradually ensuring the free movement of commodities, capital, services, technology and human resources among member states to making the Central Corridor the fastest, safest and cheapest logistics line in the world.

TDT also sees joint investments in renewable energy and smart grid technologies and member countries acting together in regional and global crises among its strategic priorities.

Turkey achieved a surplus of 10.9 billion dollars in foreign trade

While Türkiye's mutual trade with the member countries of the organization has increased steadily in recent years, investments and new areas of cooperation are also developing.

According to Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK) data, total exports to Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan in the 2021-2025 period was 41.6 billion dollars. In the same period, total imports from these countries amounted to 30.6 billion dollars.

Thus, Türkiye's trade volume with these countries in the last 5 years reached 72.2 billion dollars. During this period, Türkiye achieved a surplus of 10.9 billion dollars in foreign trade with member countries.

According to the data of the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM), exports to the relevant countries in the 9 months of this year were recorded as 4.8 billion dollars.

Most exports were to Azerbaijan

The country to which Türkiye exported the most in the last 5 years was Azerbaijan with 13.7 billion dollars. During this period, 12.4 billion dollars were exported to Kazakhstan, 9.9 billion dollars to Uzbekistan, and 5.6 billion dollars to Kyrgyzstan.

In the same period, the largest foreign purchase was made from Kazakhstan with 16.7 billion dollars. Imports of 6.2 billion dollars from Azerbaijan, 6.9 billion dollars from Uzbekistan and 951.9 million dollars from Kyrgyzstan were recorded.

Middle Corridor strengthens trade relations

There are currently joint studies between Türkiye and Azerbaijan in many areas such as defence, energy, transportation, media and technology. In this context, the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway Line, which connects Asia and Europe, stands out as one of the important elements of the transportation cooperation between the two countries.

While Türkiye and Kazakhstan have transformed their historical ties into a strategic economic partnership in recent years, especially thanks to the Middle Corridor, their mutual cooperation is developing in many areas from artificial intelligence, innovation and space activities to mining.

Relations with Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan are also deepened through the Middle Corridor and international transportation lines, energy, mining, free zones, digital trade and mutual investments.