Tashkent –September 23, 2025
On the sidelines of the 6th Meeting of the Attorneys/Prosecutors General of ECO Member States, ECO Secretary General Dr. Asad M. Khan met with H.E. Mr. Shokhrukh Gulamov, Deputy Minister for Investment, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan, to explore ways of boosting trade, investment and economic cooperation across the ECO region.
The meeting addressed current challenges in regional trade, noting the need for stronger and more coordinated action under ECO frameworks. Uzbekistan side confirmed its ministerial-level participation in the upcoming ECO Ministerial Meeting on Trade, to be held in Istanbul this year on November 26, and introduced new initiatives, including a concept for an ECO Investment Program and the proposal to establish a regional center for trade and investment.
The discussions also underlined the importance of the ECO Trade Facilitation Strategy, due for adoption at the 5th Ministerial Meeting on Commerce and Foreign Trade, as well as the advancement of the ECO Trade Facilitation Agreement as practical instruments for strengthening intra-regional commerce.
Both sides emphasized the role of Joint Trade Zones, deeper cooperation in trade facilitation, investment promotion, regulatory modernization and regional value chains.
The meeting reaffirmed the collective commitment to enhancing economic integration across the ECO region, with Uzbekistan playing an active role in shaping new cooperative initiatives.
