New York – September 27, 2024
The Economic Cooperation Organization held an Informal Meeting of ECO Council of Ministers on the sidelines of the General Debate of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The meeting was chaired by the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Delegations from the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Tajikistan, the Republic of Turkey, Turkmenistan, and the Republic of Uzbekistan attended the meeting. The Turkish Cypriot State participated as an observer. The ECO Secretariat delegation, led by Dr. Asad M. Khan, also attended. The Council expressed its appreciation to the Islamic Republic of Iran for organizing this important event.
The Heads of Delegation congratulated Dr. Asad M. Khan on his appointment as the Secretary General of the ECO. Dr. Khan provided an overview of the organization’s activities. Emphasizing many commonalities amongst the Member States, he stressed that the need for the membership to redouble their efforts to fully realize the promise and potential of the ECO. He called for greater political commitment and ownership, stressing the need for comprehensive reforms to revitalize the Organization. He also highlighted ECO’s post-2025 strategy and mentioned progress in trade, particularly following the 9th ECOTA Cooperation Council Meeting, which resolved a deadlock in Free Trade Area negotiations.
The Council further discussed preparations for the important upcoming ECO events, including the High-Level Committee Meeting and the 28th Meeting of the ECO Council of Ministers to be held in Tehran later this year.
