Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova addressed the 14^th Plenary Session of TURKPA on 12 June in the course of her working visit to Astana, the capital of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

In her speech at the session themed ‘The Turkic Era: The Role of Parliamentary Diplomacy’, Speaker Sahiba Gafarova stated that the Turkic peoples have made a valuable contribution to the development of Humanity. She noted that, despite their vast geographical spread, our peoples have followed similar paths of development and have never lost their connections with one another. The numerous powerful states that rose thanks to the creative energy and intellect of our fraternal peoples have left a profound mark on world history and have played a significant role over time in shaping the geopolitical and cultural landscape of Eurasia. In the modern era, the activities of our states, politically independent and economically resilient, have created opportunities for the convergence, collective development and interaction of the Turkic peoples.

Speaker Sahiba Gafarova remarked in her address that we are currently witnessing the revival of Turkic unity under new historical circumstances – a unity that is grounded in mutual respect, strategic partnership and a shared responsibility for the future of our peoples. This unity of Turkic states in ‘language, thought and action’ is becoming a vital prerequisite for the stability and prosperity of the Turkic Family. The deepening of political ties between our states, the successful implementation of bilateral and multilateral economic projects in the regions where our countries are located, mutual investments and other initiatives have shaped a new architecture for our co-operation.

Continuing her address, the Speaker of the Milli Majlis observed that geopolitical processes are becoming increasingly complex, global challenges necessitate collective responses and sustainable development hinges not only on resources but also on unity, solidarity and a capacity for strategic thinking in the contemporary era of rapidly changing global dynamics. The Turkic World possesses a unique potential in the context for it is not merely an alliance of states but, rather, a civilisational community bound together by a shared language, history and national spiritual values.

As she then spoke of the contribution to the common cause of Azerbaijan as an active member of the Turkic Family, Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova remarked that Azerbaijan is taking well thought-out steps to ensure a continued strengthening of the Turkic World’s unity. According to her, development of bilateral and multilateral connections with the Turkic states is one of the foreign political priorities of Azerbaijan.

The Speaker of the Milli Majlis pointed out that the people of our country restored their territorial integrity and sovereignty under the leadership of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev pursuant to the Garabagh War II and the anti-terrorist operation – and that was a historic achievement for the whole Turkic World. Those resounding victories not only put an end to occupation of Azerbaijani lands but also formed new geopolitical realities in our region and gave rise to new prospects for the closer unity of the Turkic World. The fullest possible utilisation of the existing potentials in the fields of energy, transport, transit and other sectors, alongside the introduction of new co-operation formats, will ensure a further strengthening of the economic unity of Turkic States.

Having said that the aspirations of our peoples and states towards unity and combined efforts have found vivid expression in the development of such integrative institutions as the Organisation of Turkic States, TURKSOY, the International Turkic Academy, the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation and the Turkic Business Council, Sahiba Gafarova highlit the successful operation, for over 15 years, of the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States, which holds a distinctive place amongst these co-operative structures. Collaboration within the Assembly paves the way to harnessing the rich potential of parliamentary diplomacy to advance political, trade-economic and cultural-humanitarian ties amongst our countries. She said that TURKPA is not merely a parliamentary institution where common approaches to law-making are established and initiatives for legislative harmonisation are proposed and implemented. Rather, it also serves as a platform for discussing matters of interest to our countries and addressing significant contemporary issues. Consequently, further expanding the institutional capacity of the Parliamentary Assembly and enhancing its engagement in regional and global agendas will be beneficial to achieving our shared objectives.

Then, the Speaker emphasised that parliamentarians ought to strengthen bilateral and multilateral co-operation and co-ordination amongst the legislative assemblies whilst also facilitating the implementation of decisions adopted at the level of Heads of State. The parliaments, as heralds of the will of the people, should play a more significant role in defining the institutional parameters of the Turkic Era. The capabilities of parliamentary diplomacy must be directed towards safeguarding the interests of our peoples and states amidst global challenges such as geopolitical instability, climate change and threats to sovereignty. We should support one another in matters of security, countering information warfare and cultural diplomacy, all the while also promoting the advancement of science, education and digital technologies.

Concluding her address, the Speaker of the Milli Majlis emphasised that the 21^st century is an era of new opportunities for the Turkic peoples. In the words of President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, ‘The twenty-first century must be the century of the Turkic World’s development.’ Speaker Gafarova said that this vision is rooted in both our shared heritage and the growing potential of Turkic states in the political, economic and humanitarian realms. As Speaker Sahiba Gafarova declared, the path to a new ascent for the Turkic peoples lies through their unity and solidarity. The Parliament of Azerbaijan will continue to attach paramount importance to co-operation within the framework of TURKPA.

The Press and Public Relations Department
The Milli Majlis