While visiting Baku to attend the 3rd General Conference of the ECO Parliamentary Assembly (PAECO) on May 16-19, 2022, the ECO Secretary General called on the Speaker of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Her Excellency Dr. Sahiba Gafarova.
During the interaction, the ECO Secretary General thanked and congratulated the honourable Speaker for hosting and organizing the 3rd General Conference of the PAECO. He emphasized on the significance of regional parliamentary cooperation, underlining that, once fully operationalized, the PAECO could become a difference-making forum to push and facilitate the ECO’s overall regional development agenda. He recalled that the 2nd PAECO event in Islamabad focused on the necessity of enhanced regional connectivity that was believed to be mandatory for increasing intra-regional trade. He expressed confidence that the 3rd PAECO event would take the Organization to further advancement and an elevated level of cooperation, making the region more combined and integrated. He also noted with felicity that the PAECO’s Charter came into force in June 2021 after deposition of the fourth instrument of ratification by Azerbaijan, stating that the remaining Member States are also being encouraged for joining, signing and ratification of the PAECO’s Charter.
The honourable Speaker acknowledged that the ECO’s role was very crucial for the continued promotion of economic cooperation in the region. Noting the importance of PEACO as a key ECO body to promote and stabilize the existing ties amongst the regional parliaments, she expressed their desire, ardor and commitment for the fortification of this regional parliamentary network. She assured that the Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan is completely determined, open and forthcoming to collaborate with the parliaments of the region with a view to securing every aim and objective enshrined in the PAECO’s Charter. However, she expressed concerns over the lack of complimentaries amongst the Member States that seem to hamper smooth progress in regard to securing proper targets to this end. She also looked forward for an increased collaboration between the ECO and PAECO Secretariats, believing that this will create a synergic approach to serve the overall interest of the ECO region.
