Speaker of Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova addresses TURKPA’s 14th Plenary Session in Astana
Sahiba Gafarova, Speaker of Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis, addressed the TURKPA’s 14th Plenary Session under the theme “TURKTIME: the Role of Parliamentary Diplomacy” held in Astana, the capital of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
In her remarks, Speaker Sahiba Gafarova emphasized that the Turkic peoples have made a valuable contribution to the development of humanity. The Speaker noted that, despite their vast geographical spread, the Turkic peoples have followed similar paths of development and have never lost their ties 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 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,” Gafarova noted.
“We are currently witnessing the revival of Turkic unity under new historical circumstances – a unity that is based on mutual respect, strategic partnership and 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 world. 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 cooperation,” Speaker Sahiba Gafarova underlined.
The Speaker of the Milli Majlis stated that geopolitical processes are becoming increasingly complex, adding that 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 this context, for it is not merely an alliance of states but, rather, a civilizational community bound together by a shared language, history and national spiritual values,” the Speaker emphasized.
Speaker Sahiba Gafarova pointed out that the people of Azerbaijan had restored their territorial integrity and sovereignty under the leadership of President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev following the Second Karabakh War and the anti-terrorist operation, describing it as 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,” Gafarova underscored.
Highlighting the successful activities of TURKPA for over 15 years, Sahiba Gafarova said that the 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 the member countries.
The Speaker also emphasized that parliamentarians must strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation and coordination amongst the legislative assemblies, also facilitating the implementation of decisions adopted at the level of Heads of State.
“The 21th century is an era of new opportunities for the Turkic peoples. As President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan stated, ‘The 21st century must be a century of progress of the Turkic world.’ The path to a new goal for the Turkic peoples lies through their unity and solidarity. The Parliament of Azerbaijan will continue to attach paramount importance to cooperation within the framework of TURKPA,” Speaker Sahiba Gafarova concluded.
