MASHHAD, Iran: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday called for greater economic cooperation among the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) for sustainable growth.
Addressing the Meeting of the ECO Council of Ministers in the Iranian city of Mashhad, Dar said greater connectivity, liberalization of visa regimes and simplification of border procedures are vital to unlock the geo-economic potential of the ECO region.
He added said this strategy will help create mutual interdependencies for sustainable growth while allowing the member countries to devise better policies for the efficient use of energy resources.
Ishaq Dar said greater economic cooperation among the ECO nations will ensure peace and stability in the region.
He added Pakistan is upgrading its rail and road infrastructure to facilitate further smooth flow of goods with the neighbouring states and beyond.
The Deputy Prime Minister said ECO’s specialized agencies and regional institutions could play a vital role in the advancement of the goals and ideals of the regional organization through greater engagements and people-to-people contacts.
He strongly condemned the Israeli aggression in Gaza and its atrocities in Lebanon and Syria. Dar voiced his concerns over the escalating hostilities in the Middle East, wherein Israel has endangered regional peace and security.
He reiterated Pakistan’s call to uphold peace and security in this region, safeguard the sovereignty of Lebanon and Syria, and put an end to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Palestine.
The 28th meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the ECO member countries is being held in Mashhad from December 2-3 with some 20 delegations in attendance.
The ECO is an Asian political and economic intergovernmental organization established in 1985 in Tehran by the leaders of Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey. Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are also its members.
The bloc provides a platform to discuss ways to improve development and promote trade and investment opportunities. Iran is the current Chair of the Organisation which it assumed on January 1, 2024.
