The 12th ECO Ministerial Meeting on Transport was held in Tashkent, on November 2, 2023. Ministers, Deputy Ministers and Heads of Delegations of the ECO Member States, as well as representatives of international organizations participated in the meeting.
Chaired by the Minister of Transport of Uzbekistan H.E. Mr. Ilkhom Mahkamov, the Ministerial Meeting reviewed activities of the Organization in the field of transport and connectivity, as well as developments and progress made since its last interaction held in February 2022. The Meeting also discussed the way ahead for further enhancing interactions with regional and international partners on transport and connectivity.
The meeting particularly stressed on full implementation of the Transit Transport Framework Agreement (TTFA) and accession of the remaining Member States to the agreement. The participants exchanged views and made decisions and recommendations concerning regional and global expansion of the transport corridors for greater intra-and-inter-regional connectivity. The Ministerial Meeting highlighted the importance of development of infrastructure, public-private partnership, collaboration with stakeholders, digitalization of transit transport, facilitation of customs and border crossing procedures, and called for increased collaboration and investment in those areas.
The Meeting also welcomed the designation of Samarkand and Gabala cities as ECO Air Hubs that will contribute to air connectivity of the region, especially for the land-locked countries.
The Ministers of Transport adopted the Tashkent Declaration and the Report of the Meeting, which extensively addresses connectivity cooperation in the region and provides the necessary roadmap for future interactions for development of ECO’s intra-regional and inter-regional connectivity.
Further, a “Protocol on Establishment of the International Multimodal Route between Asia-Europe through Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Iran-Türkiye” was signed by the heads of delegations of the concerned countries on the sidelines of the Meeting.
