Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan and Türkiye Discuss Deepening Strategic Partnership at Ankara Meeting

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 20 January 2026, Ankara hosted the 4th meeting of the Joint Strategic Planning Group, co-chaired by Uzbekistan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Bakhtiyor Saidov and Türkiye’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan.

During the session, the foreign ministers highlighted the shared history, language, and culture as the foundation of fraternal cooperation and reaffirmed their readiness to further develop multifaceted Uzbek-Turkish relations within the framework of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

The discussion covered strengthening cooperation across a wide range of areas, including trade and investment, energy security, regional connectivity, counterterrorism and other transnational threats, defense industry collaboration, culture, environmental protection, education, and tourism.

Special attention was given to the symbolic significance of 15 December being proclaimed the World Day of Turkic Languages, as declared during the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference in Samarkand, one of the ancient centers of Turkic civilization.

The ministers emphasized the effectiveness of the “4+4” mechanism, a unique platform for cooperation in security, military coordination, intelligence, and foreign policy. They expressed satisfaction with the outcomes of the last “4+4” meeting in Ankara and stressed the importance of implementing the updated Action Plan.

The meeting also addressed the implementation of the 8th session Action Plan of the Joint Economic Commission (JEC), the role of the JEC as a key instrument for trade and economic cooperation, and the significance of the Trans-Caspian East-West Central Corridor and the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway as reliable transport and energy routes connecting Central Asia to international markets through Türkiye.

The ministers noted progress in implementing the Ankara Declaration following the Second Trilateral Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Transport of Türkiye, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan, and reaffirmed their commitment to continued trilateral cooperation.

Particular focus was placed on strengthening the Turkic world through the Organization of Turkic States and other Turkic platforms, expanding political, trade, economic, and cultural cooperation among member states and observers.

Both sides confirmed their readiness to deepen collaboration within international and regional organizations, including the UN, OSCE, CICA, OIC, and ECO, and to support each other’s candidacies for international positions where possible.

The agenda also included current regional and international issues, including the situations in Afghanistan, Gaza, Ukraine, and Syria.

The ministers expressed satisfaction with the high frequency of bilateral contacts, noting that such meetings contribute to the further deepening of cooperation across all sectors.

The session of the Joint Strategic Planning Group served as an important platform for preparing the 4th High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council meeting, co-chaired by the presidents of Uzbekistan and Türkiye, scheduled to take place in Ankara.