Erdo?an turns to Central Asia as Middle Corridor ambitions accelerate

By News Centre

Recep Tayyip Erdogan traveled to Kazakhstan to participate in two separate summits. President Erdo?an and his wife Emine Erdogan were welcomed at Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport in Astana by Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

Erdo?an and Tokayev proceeded to the Hall of Honor accompanied by children waving Turkish and Kazakh flags in a display of affection. Fighter jets escorted Erdo?an’s aircraft during its landing at the airport, while two helicopters flying above the airport carried the flags of Türkiye and Kazakhstan.

Erdo?an, who will attend two separate summits in Kazakhstan, will begin his contacts in the capital city of Astana. At the Palace of Independence, he is scheduled to hold a one-on-one meeting with President Tokayev, after which the two leaders will co-chair the meeting of the Türkiye-Kazakhstan High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council.

During the Erdo?an-Tokayev summit, bilateral relations at the level of an “enhanced strategic partnership” will be discussed in all aspects, and steps aimed at strengthening the strategic ties between the two countries will be reviewed.

At a time of regional geopolitical shifts, Erdo?an’s visit is also considered significant in terms of emerging geopolitical balances. New trade and energy routes across Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and the Caspian corridor have further increased the importance of cooperation between Türkiye and Kazakhstan. The Erdo?an-Tokayev talks are expected to cover issues such as the development of the Middle Corridor, Caspian transit transportation projects, energy security, logistical connectivity, and defense industry cooperation.

Economic cooperation will also occupy an important place in the discussions. The target of reaching a bilateral trade volume of $15 billion and cooperation projects in the energy sector will be among the priority agenda items. In this context, new cooperation protocols and agreements in various fields are planned to be signed. Erdo?an and Tokayev are also expected to participate in the Türkiye-Kazakhstan Business Forum, where they will meet with business representatives from both countries and discuss investment opportunities.

After completing his meetings in Astana, President Erdo?an will travel to Turkistan, regarded as the spiritual capital of the Turkic world, where he will attend the Organization of Turkic States Leaders’ Summit.

During his address at the summit, Erdo?an is expected to deliver important messages on regional and global issues, particularly recent developments in the Middle East. He is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with participating heads of state and government.