BAKU: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday arrived in Azerbaijan to participate in the 17th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) starting from today in the Central Asian state.
The Prime Minister was welcomed by Adil Karimli, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Culture, and other officials upon arrival at Fuzuli International Airport in Khankendi.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, and Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi are accompanying the Prime Minister during the visit.
The theme of the Summit is “New ECO Vision for a Sustainable and Climate Resilient Future,” according to a statement issued by the Foreign Office.
During the Summit, the Prime Minister will share Pakistan’s perspective on key regional and global challenges, while reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to the ECO Vision 2025.
He will advocate for enhanced intra-regional trade, transport connectivity, energy cooperation, and sustainable development.
The Prime Minister will also hold bilateral meetings with other ECO leaders on the sidelines of the summit to discuss matters of mutual interest.
The ECO is an Asian political and economic intergovernmental organisation established in 1985 in Tehran by the leaders of Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey.
Later in 1992, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan also became its members.
The bloc provides a platform to discuss ways to improve development and promote trade and investment opportunities. Kazakhstan is the current Chair of the Organisation, which it assumed on January 1, 2025.
It is pertinent to mention that the 16th Economic Cooperation Organisation Summit was held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on 8-9 November 2023.
