On September 18, 2026, the 5th Meeting of Heads of Human Resources Development Institutions of the Member States of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) was held in the city of Khankendi under the theme "Human Resources in the Era of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence: Development, Perspectives, and Challenges."
The primary objective of the meeting was to discuss the impact of digital transformation and artificial intelligence on human capital development, modern approaches to human resource management, building civil service capacity aligned with contemporary demands, and expanding the exchange of best practices among OTS Member States.
The event commenced with opening remarks by Maleyka Abbaszade, Chairperson of the Board of the State Examination Centre (SEC). Welcoming the guests, Ms. Abbaszade expressed confidence that the day's discussions would unlock new opportunities for innovative, fair governance tailored to modern challenges, while further reinforcing the institutional foundation for long-term partnership among Turkic states.
Opening speeches were subsequently delivered by Nuru Guliyev, Deputy Secretary General of the OTS Secretariat, and Gunduz Karimov, Member of the Civil Service Management Council of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Head of the Department of Legislation and Legal Policy of the Presidential Administration. In his remarks, Mr. Guliyev underscored the importance of enhancing the digital competencies of civil servants and deepening multilateral cooperation within the OTS framework.
Following the opening segment, delegate presentations were delivered. In her keynote address, SEC Board Chairperson Maleyka Abbaszade highlighted key priorities in managing civil service human resources amidst rapid digitalization and AI adoption. While noting that artificial intelligence provides powerful capabilities in data processing, analytics, and operational efficiency, she emphasized the critical imperative of preserving human agency and oversight in final decision-making. Ms. Abbaszade shared insights into Azerbaijan’s digitalization of civil service recruitment and personnel management, referencing the operational Unified Register of Civil Servants and the consolidated digital HR ecosystem. She identified the full transition to a competency-based civil service model as the next strategic objective.
To advance multilateral cooperation among Turkic nations, Ms. Abbaszade proposed five priority areas: establishing transparency and security standards in HR workflows, applying the principle of "human-in-the-loop," designing a common competency model, jointly upskilling civil servants in next-generation competencies, and transitioning from knowledge exchange to joint regulatory initiatives. In this regard, she proposed the development of the "Karabakh Framework Document on Responsible Digital Selection and Governance in the Civil Service" ("Karabakh Principles").
Representatives of relevant government bodies and Public Administration Academies from the Republic of Türkiye, the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, and Turkmenistan welcomed the initiatives, stressing the necessity of responsible, human-centered utilization of AI and digital technologies across public administration. They reaffirmed their support for strengthening transparency, upholding meritocracy, safeguarding human oversight, aligning competency frameworks, and expanding joint training programs for civil servants. The delegates also noted that complementing experience-sharing with tangible joint actions—specifically establishing a unified framework for responsible digital selection and management - would significantly foster practical cooperation across OTS Member States.
Bilal Şentürk, Director General of Personnel and Principles at the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye, highlighted the importance of structuring human resource cooperation within the Turkic world in a more systematic and results-oriented manner. He emphasized Türkiye's readiness to share its expertise in public administration, human resources development, digital learning, and artificial intelligence with brotherly nations, while underscoring the equal value of adopting best practices from other member countries. Mr. Şentürk expressed support for tailored joint training initiatives, institutional exchange and mobility schemes, official study visits, and granting reciprocal access to digital learning platforms. He affirmed that under Türkiye’s upcoming OTS Chairmanship, special focus will be placed on rendering HR collaboration more structured, visible, and sustainable.
Roza Muratkyzy, Director of the Civil Service Career Development Department at the Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan for Civil Service Affairs, delivered a presentation on implementing AI and HR analytics tools, alongside large-scale capacity-building programs designed to elevate civil servants' digital and professional competencies. She emphasized the value of reciprocal learning among OTS members in digital HR management, competency mapping, and AI adoption, while tailoring effective solutions to specific national contexts.
The discussions also focused closely on upholding ethical standards in public service and ensuring institutional readiness for ongoing technological shifts.
The event proceeded with bilateral meetings and will be followed by a cultural tour for the participating delegations.
It is worth noting that the Republic of Azerbaijan currently holds the Chairmanship of the Organization of Turkic States.
