ECO Ministers' Conference: Advancing Collaborative Efforts
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Tehran, Dec 4 (NationPress) The 28th Meeting of the Council of Ministers (COM) of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) convened in the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad, emphasizing the need to enhance collaboration among regional countries.
With the theme of Year of Enhanced and Resilient ECO Region through the expansion of Intra-Regional Trade, foreign ministers and deputy foreign ministers from ECO nations engaged in discussions addressing vital regional concerns, especially in the areas of trade, energy, transportation, and environmental sustainability. They expressed a collective commitment to bolstering regional integration and fostering sustainable economic growth, according to a statement from ECO on Tuesday.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the COM endorsed the Mashhad Communique, described as a significant outcome document that outlines strategic directions for the activities of ECO, thereby enhancing collaboration among member states, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
The council also highlighted ECO's growing global participation, praising efforts aimed at strengthening ties with international and regional organizations, including enhanced cooperation with United Nations agencies and other multilateral platforms.
The statement acknowledged that these partnerships are essential for promoting ECO's objectives and enhancing its visibility on the international stage.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, who presided over the meeting, remarked that ECO has increasingly demonstrated its position as one of the most relevant regional and multilateral platforms for collaboration among its members, as per a statement from the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
He urged member states to actively pursue the full realization of their untapped potential, emphasizing that the ECO region has the potential to evolve into one of the most dynamic emerging regions within the Global South.
The ECO is an intergovernmental organization focused on political and economic cooperation, established in Tehran in 1985 by Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey. It serves as a platform for discussing strategies to enhance development and promote trade and investment opportunities.
Currently, its membership comprises Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
