— The Antalya Diplomatic Forum is meeting for the fifth time. What is unique about this platform compared to other international conferences?
— If you describe the Munich Conference in simple words, it is a strict “board of directors” in suits that mainly considers defense issues. If we talk about Davos, then this is most likely a closed club of the global elite, billionaires, where “mere mortals” are not allowed to enter. As for Antalya, this is diplomatic open-air in its purest form. I think the main uniqueness of ADF is its inclusivity. Turkey has succeeded in creating a space in Antalya where the voice of the Global South and Central Asia can be heard as loudly as the voices of the great powers. Antalya is also the place where diplomacy takes off its ties. Because the format was designed in such a way that it allows for informal consultations on the sidelines, which often turn out to be more effective than official summits. And in conditions where old institutions like the OSCE or even the UN often stall in bureaucracy, Antalya is becoming a platform for “quick diplomacy” and situational alliances. And this can be considered a living response to the global crisis of trust between countries.
— Can we say that participation in the ADF helps Kazakhstan strengthen its status as a regional mediator and peacemaker?
– Undoubtedly. Kazakhstan has long established its reputation as an honest broker. If we look at the world, what do we see? Almost everyone has fallen out with everyone, and there are very few countries that are trusted by both sides of the conflict. Kazakhstan is one of such states. We just need to remember the experience of Kazakhstan, starting from the Astana process on Syria to initiatives on Ukraine. All this makes Kazakhstan a valuable participant in the Antalya Forum. I think Kazakhstan will go there not to teach, but to offer platforms for dialogue, which are now in great demand. The status of a peacemaker is the “soft power” of Kazakhstan. And this status in events like the ADF is converted into concrete influence: they listen to Kazakhstan, because they are confident that this state always stands for common sense and international law.
Why have these particular topics—global turmoil, climate, security—become the center of attention in past years? Is this a reflection of global trends or the interests of specific countries?
— I would associate the choice of topics with an urgent need, I would even say that it is a matter of survival. The global upheavals of recent years have destroyed almost everything that was built over decades – here are old supply chains, security architecture, etc. And the choice of this year’s theme, “Managing Uncertainty,” is a direct recognition that the world lives in an era of chaos.
Kazakhstan has its own Achilles heels, such as climate. And this is not abstract warming, but a very real water shortage and food security issues. And security is the protection of borders and sovereignty in the face of geopolitical fault lines. That is, in conditions when the old rules no longer work, do not protect the country, and there are no new ones yet. In Antalya, everyone will have to work together to develop new risk insurance mechanisms.
— This year’s agenda looks especially busy. What causes it and what issues are most sensitive to it for Kazakhstan?
— I agree, this year’s agenda is unprecedentedly dense, but this is due to the fact that crises in the world are now occurring simultaneously, and not one after another. And for Kazakhstan, the most “sensitive nerve” is transport and energy independence. Kazakhstan is a country in the heart of the continent, and for it the issue of the Middle Corridor is simply a matter of life and death. It is very important to be sure that your goods will reach the markets of Europe and Asia without hindrance. I think that in Antalya it will be decided what the new map of Eurasian logistics will look like, and Kazakhstan simply must be one of those who draw this map.
— What specific results or agreements does Kazakhstan expect to receive from participation?
— We must always prepare for the fact that our expectations may not always be realized. The banal “Diplomacy is the art of the possible” has not yet been canceled. Therefore, it would be wrong to expect huge folders with signed documents from Antalya. The world is now at a crossroads and is well aware that the document signed today may lose force in just a few hours. Therefore, I think that the main result of ADF will be the “chemistry” of personal relationships and the synchronization of watches.
But at the same time, we should expect an expansion of investment contacts in Kazakhstan, especially in the field of technology and logistics. And importantly, new negotiation processes can be launched in Antalya. The composition and geography of participants in Antalya makes it possible to hold dozens of meetings in two days that would normally take months. All this will strengthen the image of Kazakhstan as a stable, predictable and strong partner with whom it is profitable to deal even in the most troubled times.
— To what extent can ADF be considered as a platform for strengthening the unity and common diplomatic identity of the Turkic-speaking states?
— You know, diplomatic identity is not born from slogans alone, it is born from a constant presence at the same table. The Antalya Forum is just the ideal incubator for such an identity.
Some may object that this is a global platform. I agree, however, the “Turkic accent” is heard most clearly on it. For Kazakhstan, Turkey, Azerbaijan and the countries of Central Asia, this is an opportunity to present a united front. In Antalya we have a chance to show the world again that the Turkic states are not just a group of countries with similar languages, culture, and history. This is a new geopolitical center of power, which has its own interests and, most importantly, its own solidarity. When we stand side by side on such a prestigious platform, this is read by the world community as the formation of a new, influential bloc that cannot be ignored.
Let us recall that the V Antalya Diplomatic Forum (ADF-2026), in which the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev takes part, started work Today. For our country, being part of this dialogue is not just a gesture of foreign policy protocol, but an organic part of the course of a “middle power” that seeks to form a space of geopolitical reality where Turkic integration is combined with Eurasian and global initiatives.
