Mashhad – December 3, 2024
The 28th Meeting of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Council of Ministers (COM) successfully convened today in Mashhad, Iran, gathering Foreign Ministers and Deputy Foreign Ministers from the ECO countries.
Also, ECO specialized agencies and subsidiary bodies, including the ECO Trade and Development Bank, ECO Science Foundation, ECO Cultural Institute and ECO Educational Institute, as well as observers and partner international organizations, including the Turkish Cypriot State, Organization of Turkic States, the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation, Asia Cooperation Dialogue, and CICA have attended the event.
Chaired by H.E. Abbas Araghchi, Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the meeting revolved around the 2024’s theme “Year of Enhanced and Resilient ECO Region through Expansion of Intra-Regional Trade.” The Council of ECO Foreign Ministers discussed critical regional priorities, particularly trade, energy, transportation and environmental sustainability, with a shared commitment to strengthening regional integration and sustainable economic growth. The Council also guided the Organization’s future endeavors, particularly discussing development of the new ECO strategy, which will set out the roadmap beyond Vision 2025.
The Council adopted the Mashhad Communiqué, a pivotal outcome document that sets strategic directions for ECO’s activities, reinforcing cooperation among Member States. The meeting also reviewed progress on key initiatives and projects, emphasizing the importance of collective action to address shared challenges and opportunities.
The Council also emphasized ECO’s expanding global engagement, commending efforts to strengthen partnerships with international and regional organizations, including enhanced collaboration with United Nations agencies and other multilateral platforms. These relationships were recognized as pivotal to advancing ECO’s objectives and increasing its international visibility
The 29th ECO Council of Ministers Meeting will take place in Kazakhstan in 2025, marking the next step in ECO’s mission to advance regional prosperity.
