Tehran – October 14, 2026
The 11th High-Level Expert Group Meeting on Statistics was held in virtual format under the chairmanship of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Representatives from the national statistical agencies of Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Türkiye and Uzbekistan attended the meeting.
The meeting focused on finalizing the draft ECO Strategic Plan on Statistics 2026–2030, the successor to the 2021–2026 Plan, as requested by the 36th Regional Planning Council. The draft Plan aims to modernize statistical production, harmonize methodologies and national accounts, strengthen capacity, expand digital dissemination and partnerships, and align regional statistical work with the Strategic Goals of Economic Cooperation – 2035.
Member States presented their national statistical developments and proposals on the draft Plan. The meeting also reviewed the ECO Statistics Interactive Dashboard, scheduled for launch by the end of 2026, the updated ECO Key Statistical Indicators (ECOKSI 2.0), and the capacity-building programme for 2026–2027.
The meeting agreed the draft Plan in principle and approved the draft agenda for the 9th Meeting of the Heads of National Statistical Offices, scheduled for October 27, 2026.
