Türkiye and Kyrgyzstan have bolstered bilateral relations and cooperation during a visit from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to Bishkek on Tuesday.

Speaking at the sixth meeting of the Türkiye-Kyrgyzstan High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council in the Kyrgyz capital, Erdoğan announced the two nations would elevate their bilateral strategic partnership to a comprehensive level, "Facilitating the mechanism that will deepen ties in security, transport and health."

Erdoğan was welcomed earlier by his Kyrgyz counterpart Sadyr Japarov with an official ceremony ahead of the 11th Summit of the Council of Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States on Wednesday.

He celebrated the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Kara-Kyrgyz Autonomous Region, marking the foundation of the sovereign Kyrgyz Republic.

"In our discussions today, we exchanged views on steps to further develop our relations. I believe the decisions we make and the goals we set will shape the future of our relations. I look forward to welcoming you to Ankara for the next council meeting," Erdoğan said.

In the ceremony following the council meeting, the sides signed a total of 19 bilateral agreements ranging from energy productivity to debt cancellation, and migration to industrial cooperation.

Trade target

Erdoğan announced he and Japarov agreed to set a new bilateral trade volume of $5 billion annually during their meetings, noting Türkiye’s role as one of the largest investors in Kyrgyzstan.

"We are among the countries providing the most official development support. These are economic indicators of the importance we attribute to our ancestral homeland," Erdoğan said.

He boasted that Turkish construction firms have completed more than 90 projects worth almost $1 billion and that the state-run Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) has materialized over 1,000 projects in Kyrgyzstan since 1992.

"The Turkish-Kyrgyz Friendship State Hospital we are inaugurating today is among these projects," Erdoğan said, adding that it was an honor to have the hospital named after himself.

"We have discussed steps that will incentivize mutual investments and support our businesspeople on this basis," he noted.

Terrorism, education

Erdoğan also emphasized Türkiye’s commitment to fighting terrorism in partnership with Kyrgyzstan, specifically against the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), which was behind the 2016 defeated coup in Türkiye.

"Our fight against all forms of terrorism, especially FETÖ, will continue uninterrupted," he said.

Turkish authorities have been working to end the presence of schools linked to the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) in the country. FETÖ is known for operating a vast network of schools, particularly in Turkic states.

Erdoğan urged swift completion of the educational cooperation agreement.

"Let's swiftly finalize the negotiations on the educational cooperation agreement. I am pleased that Manas University has been ranked among the world's best universities. Let us continue to work harmoniously to maximize the university's contribution to Kyrgyzstan's human capital, as well as to science and the arts," the Turkish president said.

Palestinian cause

Turning to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Erdoğan repeated his call for unity among Turkic states for a "just resolution" of the Palestinian issue.

"As the Turkic world, it is extremely important that we continue our efforts for a lasting and just solution to the Palestinian issue," Erdoğan said.

"Israel's attacks on Lebanon now threaten regional security and the international order. During the informal summit of the Organization of Turkic States in Shusha, we condemned the indiscriminate targeting of civilians in Gaza and called for an immediate cease-fire and humanitarian aid," he added.

While Israel's onslaught on Gaza and Lebanon continues, many states, including Türkiye, have called for the implementation of the two-state solution to achieve enduring peace.

Türkiye is a staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause. Erdoğan too has been a virulent critic of the Netanyahu administration as Israel’s attacks have killed more than 42,000 people in the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, 2023.

OTS summit

Erdoğan on Wednesday will attend the 11th summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) in Bishkek as Kyrgyzstan takes over the rotating presidency of the body from Kazakhstan.

"I hope that tomorrow's summit and your term presidency will bring about auspicious results. I am confident that your term will contribute to the development of Turkic cooperation as well as to the proper representation of our observer member, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," Erdoğan said.

The OTS meeting will focus on economic integration, sustainable development, the digital future and security.

Participating countries are expected to sign several cooperation deals and approve multilateral projects of the body, which marked its 15th anniversary in October.

It brings together Turkic-speaking countries and was formed by Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Türkiye. It also serves to enhance the geopolitical position of the Turkic world, with its member countries covering a total area of 4.25 million square kilometers (over 1.6 million square miles) and a population of around 160 million, gaining considerable regional recognition over the past 15 years.

The secretary general of OTS announced Monday that its summit of heads of state this week will tackle strategic priorities for the Turkic world.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Kubanychbek Omuraliev highlighted the meeting's significance in strengthening the Turkic community's strategic objectives.

Sustainability, connectivity

Omuraliev said the summit aims to deepen trade and investment ties through the anticipated signing of a digital economy partnership agreement. "This agreement will streamline digital trade between our countries, allowing businesses to operate within a common digital framework more effectively," he said.

Omuraliev highlighted the ambition of the sustainable development agenda. He said they are determined to promote green finance and environmental management through the establishment of the Turkic Green Finance Council and the adoption of the Turkic Green Vision.

He noted that these initiatives will facilitate investment in eco-friendly projects, ranging from renewable energy to sustainable urban development.

He also mentioned the Civil Protection Mechanism Agreement, which is designed to ensure coordinated disaster and emergency responses among member countries, saying that its signing will enhance security cooperation.

In digital transformation, Omuraliev highlighted projects like the Turkic Large Language Model and the Earth Observation Technology Satellite, which will advance digital connectivity, innovation and environmental monitoring throughout the Turkic states.

Omuraliev emphasized the goal of enhancing cooperation in transportation, infrastructure and security.

Free trade deal

He said that initiatives related to the Middle Corridor project would align shared infrastructure, turning the Turkic region into a vital trade route between Asia and Europe. He highlighted the establishment of the Turkic Investment Fund last year as a significant milestone in creating a unified financial platform to support projects that boost intraregional trade and investment.

Omuraliev also revealed their plans to establish a Council of Central National Banks of the OTS Member States, which is expected to play a crucial role in harmonizing monetary policies, enhancing financial stability and creating a more competitive and resilient economic environment.

Omuraliev noted progress in trade liberalization through ongoing negotiations for a free trade agreement on services and investments.

"This agreement will play a pivotal role in removing barriers to trade and opening new avenues for businesses in our region, creating a more interconnected economic landscape."

He also said the digital economy partnership agreement will aim to lay the foundations for digital economic integration, facilitating digital trade, reducing administrative burdens and easing cross-border trade to expand business access within member countries.

Omuraliev said the final declaration of the Bishkek Summit will outline specific goals across these strategic areas.