Ankara – January 27, 2025

ECO Secretary General, Ambassador Dr. Asad M. Khan, met with Türkiye’s Vice President, H.E. Cevdet Yılmaz, to discuss advancing regional cooperation under the ECO framework.

The meeting acknowledged Türkiye’s key role and contributions in ECO, with emphasis on the region’s vast potential and the importance of stronger political ownership to unlock it. Regional connectivity, trade facilitation and energy cooperation were recognized as critical to achieving ECO’s objectives for greater economic development and integration of the region. Discussions further highlighted regional priorities in agriculture, tourism and disaster risk management. Erzurum’s selection as the ECO Tourism Capital for 2025 and the upcoming ECO Ministerial Meetings on Tourism and Trade were also discussed.

Both sides reaffirmed commitment to ECO’s reform agenda, focusing on enhancing the organization’s efficiency and impact. Conversations further included shaping the new ECO Vision Document and ECO reforms to be discussed during the upcoming High-Level Meeting of Deputy Foreign Ministers on February 3, 2025, as well as preparations for the 17th ECO Summit in Azerbaijan in July 2025.