Turkish president calls for Turkic world to act in ‘solidarity’ amid regional crises, digital transformation

• President stresses cybersecurity 'as vital as security in land, air and maritime domains'

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that ongoing crises in the region have once again highlighted the "strategic importance of the Turkic world acting in solidarity."

“Crises in Palestine, Lebanon, Iran, Ukraine, and many others indicate that we need to strengthen our defense and increase our cooperation in the industrial sector," Erdogan said while speaking at the Informal Summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) in Turkistan, Kazakhstan.

He noted that Türkiye aims to further advance coordination and cooperation in cybersecurity within the OTS during its upcoming term, stressing that cybersecurity is now as vital as security in land, air, and maritime domains.

Erdogan also expressed hope that the Turkic world will continue to strengthen its political, economic, and cultural relations with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

Emphasizing cultural and digital cooperation, he said the common Turkic alphabet should be widely used across education, culture, academic collaboration, and digital transformation.

He added that AI-based initiatives, including a Turkish language model designed to make the richness of the shared language visible in the digital sphere, should be supported.