Turkish MP: Turkic world becoming strategic hub in global economy

The Turkic world is turning into a strategic hub in the global economy, said Kursad Zorlu, Deputy Chairman of Türkiye's ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), Head of Relations with Turkic States, and Member of Parliament from Ankara, Report informs.

Speaking at the 2nd International Conference of Leading National Analytical Centers of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) in Baku, Zorlu emphasized that in today's world the strength of countries cannot be measured only by raw materials or current national income.

"Real power is about connecting resources, integrating markets, mobilizing capital, evaluating technology together, and most importantly, advancing with a common mind and a shared vision. Today, the geography of the OTS, with nearly 200 million people, its position at the heart of Europe and Asia, its energy and human resources, and its production capacity, already has the potential to be the spokesperson and pioneer of a new global architecture. Including observer members, our economic power currently reaches a quarterly value of $674 billion. This translates into $2–3 trillion annually, meaning that in the near future we will be among the world's top ten economies. In fact, we are already close to achieving this. The Turkic world is no longer just a growing economic geography, but is becoming one of the strategic hubs in global production, trade, energy, and logistics," he noted.

The MP also noted that Turkic states aim to raise the share of mutual trade in global trade to at least 10 percent: "At present, this figure is slightly above 7 percent, whereas a few years ago it was around 3 percent. Considering our economic potential, we can reach 10 percent in a short time. It is now time not only to sell goods among ourselves, but to produce together, finance together, transport together, develop technology together, and enter global markets together. At this point, the Middle Corridor offers significant opportunities. I believe that today the Middle Corridor is not only important for us, but also for the world in terms of opening new markets and reducing global risks. It does not merely contribute to safe and fast transportation between East and West, but also ensures stronger integration of the Turkic world into the global economy."

Zorlu further stressed that adapting logistics infrastructure, simplifying customs procedures, and expanding single window systems are crucial tasks for analytical centers.

"We should not view the Middle Corridor only as an alternative transport route from China to Europe. Otherwise, we would miss a historic opportunity. The Middle Corridor is not just a railway line or a logistics route. With the right policies, it can become an economic development belt. According to World Bank analyses, if the necessary infrastructure investments, customs reforms, and logistics coordination are ensured, trade turnover along this corridor could triple by 2030. The same forecast suggests that trade between Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Georgia will increase by 37 percent, and their trade with the European Union by 28 percent. The World Bank's projection of 11 million tons of cargo volume by 2030 will not be our final target, but rather a starting point," the official added.