On November 22, the 5th meeting of the Ministers and Heads of Diaspora Institutions of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) member countries was held in the capital of Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek.

The event commenced with an opening address by Gulnara Batyrova, the Minister of Labor, Social Protection, and Migration of the Kyrgyz Republic. She underscored that this meeting is a result of the "joint action plan" formulated at the international forum in Baku/Shusha in 2022 within the framework of the OTS, along with the adoption of a subsequent plan.

Kubanychbek Omuraliev, the Secretary General of the OTS, elaborated on the decisions taken by the heads of state and the initiatives undertaken in the realm of diaspora affairs.

Representatives from Azerbaijan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Hungary, as well as the Secretariat of the OTS, actively participated in the event.

A. Saparbekuly, the President of the NJSC Otandastar Qory under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, highlighted the connection between today's meeting and the overarching theme of "TURKTIME," echoing the sentiment expressed by President K. Tokayev at the X summit of the Organization of Turkic States. President Tokayev emphasized that the primary goal of the Turkic world is to preserve unity and transmit it to the younger generation, grounded in mutual trust, cooperation, and brotherhood.

A. Saparbekuly also announced the launch of the "Qazalem" web portal and the "Yurt" project during this year. The Qazalem portal offers information and online services to compatriots abroad, encompassing the teaching of the Kazakh language, engagement with national instruments and games, and the facilitation of connections among compatriots through the portal. The Yurt project introduces a mobile application allowing compatriots to travel, communicate with each other, and locate Kazakh embassies and consulates.

The President underscored the significance of experience exchange programs between diaspora institutions of member states, the augmentation of the potential of Turkic diasporas, the organization of the "Turkic Week," and other initiatives. Kazakhstan has plans to host the III Diaspora Forum of Turkic-speaking countries in 2025. As part of the meeting, bilateral discussions involving the head of the Otandastar Qory and his colleagues were also conducted.