The ECO Council of Permanent Representatives (ECO), in its 303rd meeting held on 27 January 2026 in the ECO Secretariat in Tehran, addressed the issue of implementation of the “Awaza Programme of Action (PoA) for Landlocked Developing Countries (2024-2034) in the ECO Region. The ambassadors and permanent representatives of the ECO Member States were briefed by the ECO Secretariat on the 5 main priorities identified in the PoA to assist landlocked developing countries to address challenges and vulnerabilities arising from their lack of direct access to the seas and global markets.
It was recalled that Awaza Programme of Action emphasizes that subregional and regional mechanisms are complementary to national and global ones and requests the relevant regional and subregional organizations to be actively involved in the implementation of the Programme of Action.
The Council exchanged views on how the ECO, as one of the most relevant organizations in this Region, can assist United Nations and international community to effectively implement AWAZA PoA in the ECO Region. Seven out of 32 landlocked developing countries in the world are located in the ECO Region. On the sidelines of the 3rd UN Conference in AWAZA, the ministers/high level delegations from the ECO Member States participated in an ECO exclusive meeting organized by the ECO Secretariat to exchange views under the theme of “ECO and implementation of the Awaza Programme of Action 2024–2034.”
The ECO Secretary General, Dr. Asad M. Khan also held a bilateral meeting in AWAZA with Ms. Rabab Fatima, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (OHRLLS), where the both sides took the opportunity to discuss ways and means to work closely to address the challenges faced by landlocked developing countries in the ECO Region.
The 303rd Meeting of CPR welcomed some actions for 2026 as proposed by the ECO Secretariat; among them, organization of an ECO Kick-off meeting on implementation of the AWAZA Programme of Action in the ECO Region. The Council also welcomed the initiative to have a trilateral meeting among 3 ECO transit countries (Pakistan, Türkiye and Iran) which will generate momentum for the implementation of the AWAZA Programme of Action in the ECO Region.
