TurkPA's 15th plenary session in Bishkek: proposals on AI cooperation, a model digital code and a registry of model laws

On October 20 the 15th plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States (TurkPA) continued in Bishkek. Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov received the speakers of the member parliaments and said the meeting reflects mutual trust among fraternal states. He stressed that Kyrgyzstan wants to keep developing cooperation within TurkPA, with ties deepening in trade and economy, transport, energy, digital affairs and humanitarian fields.

Chairwoman of Azerbaijan's Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova proposed stronger cooperation among parliaments on artificial intelligence, digitalisation and cybersecurity. She noted that AI makes public administration more efficient but also brings new challenges for cybersecurity and data protection. Gafarova said Azerbaijan has set up a Digital Development Council and that the Milli Majlis uses electronic voting, electronic document management and AI tools that turn speech into text automatically; she recalled that TurkPA has built a substantial legal framework since 2009 and that four model laws are on this session's agenda.

Aibek Dadebay, Chairman of Kazakhstan's Mazhilis, proposed drafting a model digital code for TurkPA countries, which he said would give a shared approach to regulating the digital sphere and a unified terminological and methodological basis for digital law. He also proposed a network of AI-based IT hubs and a consultation on digital security, noting that Kazakhstan already has a Digital Code and an AI law in force and offers over 90 percent of state services online.

Marlen Mamataliev, Speaker of Kyrgyzstan's Jogorku Kenesh, proposed a unified electronic registry of TurkPA model laws that would also record how they are incorporated into national legislation. He called for annual analytical implementation reports and for monitoring model laws not only when drafted but also when adopted and applied. Four further model laws are due to be reviewed at the session.