The ECO Ministers of Foreign Affairs met on the sidelines of 78th UNGA Session in New York on September 21, 2023. Chaired by Deputy Foreign Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mr. Yalchin Rafiyev, the informal meeting of the COM was attended by delegations from ECO Member States, representatives of the Northern Cyprus State and the Organization of Turkic States as well as ECO Secretary General Ambassador Khusrav Noziri.
The informally organized ministerial interaction reviewed the overall programs and agenda of the organization, especially the ECO’s sectoral activities prioritized under Azerbaijan’s current chairmanship. The meeting expressed satisfaction over the progress of ECO, emphasizing on significance of the Organization’s project-oriented approach that appears to substantiate the process of development in various sectors, especially regional trade and connectivity.
Appreciating Azerbaijan for chairing the Organization under a luminous concept that declares 2023 as the year of “Green Transition and Interconnectivity”, the meeting desired an enhanced cooperation amongst the member countries aimed at accelerating their collective advancement and accomplishment of SDGs. Moreover, the participants appreciably took note of the briefing made by ECO Secretary General concerning the priority-based events and initiatives of the Organization, particularly the preparations of 27th COM and 16th Summit Meetings. They also acknowledged the magnitude of a biennial resolution, freshly revised and adopted by UNGA on August 25, 2023 on ECO-UN cooperation. The document compressively outlines a collaborative framework, encouraging continued advancements in relations between the ECO and UN Agencies.
Commending the ECO Secretariat for making strenuous efforts to enhance the Organization’s visibility in global landscape, the meeting underscored the significance of developing ties between the ECO and ASEAN. The ECO Ministers/Heads of Delegations renewed their commitment and support to the Organization in its efforts for promoting greater economic integration of the region.
