ASTANA, Kazakhstan, February 5. Kazakhstan has announced the priorities for its presidency in the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), emphasizing sustainable development and security, Trend reports.
The first meeting of the ECO High-Level Committee was held under the chairmanship of Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Alibek Bakayev.The meeting was attended by deputy ministers of foreign affairs from Azerbaijan, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, as well as the Permanent Representative of Kyrgyzstan to the ECO and the Director General for International Economic Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye.
Opening the meeting, the Deputy Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan highlighted the need for the Organization to adapt to new economic realities and implement more efficient mechanisms for interaction.
The Kazakh diplomat outlined the priorities of Kazakhstan’s presidency in the Organization, stressing the importance of developing transportation and logistical interconnectedness, trade, technological cooperation, and institutional development of the ECO, as well as food security and sustainable development.
The participants also discussed key issues regarding the development of the ECO, including strengthening the institutional potential of the Organization. The parties confirmed the importance of developing a new strategic document, “ECO Vision 2035,” which will take into account modern economic challenges and trends. Special attention was given to structural reforms within the ECO aimed at improving the efficiency of its operations.
The Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) was established in 1985. Its primary goal is the promotion of economic, technical, and cultural cooperation among member states. The ECO members include Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye, and Uzbekistan. Kazakhstan officially joined the ECO at an extraordinary meeting of the foreign ministers on November 28, 1992, in Islamabad, Pakistan.