The 28th Meeting of the Regional Planning Council (RPC), which had started on 11 December 2017, concluded its work in Islamabad when the Ministerial segment of the Council adopted the outcome documents on 14th December 2017.
The Ministerial segment, chaired by H.E. Mr. Sartaj Aziz, Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission of Pakistan, was attended by high level delegations from the ECO Member States and observers, as well as heads and officials of the ECO Specialized Agencies and Regional Institutions. The Ministerial segment received reports of the 8 sectoral committees on “Trade and Investment”, “Transport and Communications”, ” Energy, Mineral and Environment”, Agriculture, Industry and Tourism”, “Projects, Economic Research and Statistics”, “Human Resources and Sustainable Development”, “Drugs and Organized Crimes”, and “External Relations and ECO Regional Institutions and Specialized Agencies”.
Speaking at the Ministerial segment, ECO Secretary General Ambassador Halil Ibrahim Akca informed the participants on the state of affairs of ECO as well as the results of the discussions in the Senior Officials segment of the Council, held on 11-13 December 2017.
The Ministerial Council adopted, on the recommendation of the Senior Officials segment, the ECO Work Programme and Calendar of Events for the year 2018.
After the conclusion of the Ministerial segment, H.E. Halil Ibrahim Akça, the Secretary General of the ECO and H.E. Sartaj Aziz, Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission of Pakistan, held a Press Conference. H.E. Sartaj Aziz, in his opening remarks, briefed the Press about the historical background of the ECO and holding of the 28th Meeting of the RPC in Pakistan. He also briefed them about various outcomes of the meeting. H.E. Halil Ibrahim Akça, in his statement, thanked the Government of Pakistan for agreeing to host the RPC and ECO Day in Pakistan. He informed the gathering about various decisions taken during the RPC. Both the dignitaries answered questions regarding various aspects of the ECO. A Press Release prepared by the ECO Secretariat was distributed among members of the Press.
The participants also attended the “ECO Day 2017” ceremony hosted by the Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on the evening of 14th December 2017.
On the sidelines of the Council and on 13th December, ECO Secretary General held consultations with the heads of delegations of the Member States and ECO Specialized Agencies and Regional Institutions on the mandated reform in these ECO bodies.
