At the invitation of the Secretariat of the D-8 Technology Transfer and Exchange Network (D8TTEN), the ECO Deputy Secretary General Ambassador Huseyin Avni Bicakli participated in the panel discussion “Technology Cooperation and Role of Regional Organizations”.
Apart from the Economic Cooperation, the Developing-8 Organization of Economic Cooperation (D8) and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) also featured in the Panel. Discussing the status of technological advancement in the developing world and technological challenges confronting developing countries, the Panel further spotlighted shortcomings of technological cooperation among them.
Ambassador Bicakli, while congratulating the D8TTEN on its 10th anniversary of establishment, stressed the need for multilateral platforms, where developing countries could effectively interact with one another. He outlined various ongoing ECO projects in the field of science and technology and stressed on altering patterns of technology transfer; he advocated for South-South technological cooperation instead of North-South phenomenon.
The Economic Cooperation Organization prioritizes science and technology and considers scientific and technical cooperation essential for development of the region. To that end, the ECO has established the ECO Science Foundation in Islamabad, the ECO Clean Energy Center and the ECO Research Center in Baku.
