Istanbul – November 26, 2025
The 5th ECO Ministerial Meeting on Commerce and Foreign Trade was successfully convened on November 26, 2025 in Istanbul. This Ministerial Meeting marks the first gathering of ECO Trade Ministers after a gap of 14 years, representing a major milestone and an important step forward in revitalizing the regional trade agenda. The Honourable Ministers, Deputy Ministers of Commerce and Foreign Trade and the Heads of Delegations of all ten ECO Member States – Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Republic of Azerbaijan, Islamic Republic of Iran, Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Republic of Tajikistan, Republic of Türkiye (host), Turkmenistan, and Republic of Uzbekistan – attended the meeting.
Delegations from ECO Observers, namely; the Turkish Cypriot State and the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), as well as representatives of ECO specialized and affiliated institutions, including the ECO Seed Association (ECOSA), ECO Trade Development Bank (ECO-TDB), ECO Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ECO-CCI), International Road Transport Union (IRU), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) along with the ECO delegation attended the Meeting.
The Meeting was jointly inaugurated by H.E. Prof. Dr. Ömer BOLAT, Minister of Trade of the Republic of Türkiye, and H.E Dr. Asad M. KHAN, ECO Secretary General. Dr. KHAN expressed appreciation to the Republic of Türkiye for hosting this long-awaited Ministerial Meeting and emphasized the need to modernize the ECO Trade Agreement (ECOTA) as a core pillar of regional integration.
The 5th ECO Ministerial Meeting approved three key ECO instruments: the ECO Trade Facilitation Strategy, the ECO Agreement on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters, and the ECO Memorandum of Understanding on Joint Trade Promotion Activities. The Honourable Ministers/Deputy Ministers witnessed the final approval of the ECO Trade Facilitation Strategy and the signing of two important instruments:
• The ECO Memorandum of Understanding on Joint Trade Promotion Activities was signed by the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and the Republic of Türkiye.
• The ECO Agreement on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters was signed by the Islamic Republic of Iran, Kyrgyz Republic, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and the Republic of Türkiye, marking a significant step toward strengthening regional customs cooperation.
Dr. KHAN noted that these instruments demonstrate ECO’s commitment to a more predictable, streamlined, and cooperative regional market.
The Chair, H.E. Minister BOLAT welcomed the distinguished delegates and commended the ECO Secretariat for its efforts in organizing the Meeting. He also acknowledged the strong preparation undertaken during the 5th High-Level Experts Group (HLEG) Meeting, reaffirming Türkiye’s commitment to strengthening intra-regional trade, investment facilitation, and sustainable economic cooperation.
The Meeting approved the recommendations of the 5th HLEG Meeting (24–25 November 2025), notably:
• The adoption of the ECOTA Negotiation Strategy and Roadmap, along with the establishment of the Technical Negotiation Committee (TNC) to begin ECOTA renegotiations in the first quarter of 2026, with quorum requirements set at a minimum of three ECOTA Parties.
• The transfer of technical work related to the “Draft Multi-Dimensional Trade and Investment Strategy and Prospects of Establishing a Free Trade Area” to the newly established TNC.
• The adoption of the Istanbul Declaration, as finalized during the HLEG Meeting.
In the Istanbul Declaration, the Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to deepening regional cooperation, addressing shared economic challenges, and advancing the ECO trade and investment agenda. Member States also shared updates on their national priorities and supported ongoing reform initiatives within the ECO framework.
The Meeting commended the ECO Secretariat for its continued efforts to promote regional trade liberalization, customs modernization, reduction of tariff and non-tariff barriers, strengthened cooperation with ECO-CCI and ECO-TDB, and enhanced collaboration with regional and international partners.
Delegations expressed gratitude to the Government and Ministry of Trade of the Republic of Türkiye for their warm hospitality and excellent arrangements. They reaffirmed their determination to maintain momentum in advancing regional economic cooperation and implementing the decisions adopted at the Meeting.
