The governments of the member states of the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) gathered on the occasion of the thirteenth ECO summit meeting in Islamabad.
The theme of the meeting was ‘Connectivity for Regional Prosperity’ and the participants reviewed the objective conditions and progress in implementation of ECO programmes and projects.
They also exchanged views on regional and global issues of common interest to the ECO region. The member states also discussed the consolidation of ECO as an organisation and the advancement of cooperation.
The heads of member states of ECO also signed a declaration with the following points:
Economic development, common prosperity, regional integration and peace and stability in the ECO Region.
The addition of more states to the ECO on a case to case basis.
Reaffirmation of the Treaty of Izmir.
Commitment to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter including political independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of states.
Sharing assessment of the constantly evolving global and regional environment and new developments that present multiple challenges and opportunities.
Resolve to work together, including by positioning the ECO to effectively address these challenges and to seize the opportunities for the collective benefit of the region and its people.
Approach connectivity as a dynamic concept that encompasses multiple dimensions including cyber, energy, rail, road, and ports and shipping.
Encourage further development of educational and scientific linkages, and cultural and people to people contacts.
Underline the significance of fully exploiting the bounty offered by shared geography, history and culture.
Recognise the existence of various connectivity initiatives in the ECO region, and welcoming that these projects feed into the overall vision of comprehensive ECO connectivity and integration.
Reiterate the commitment to promote intra-ECO trade as an instrument of enhanced economic cooperation and revitalisation in the region.
Underline the importance of the Post 2015 Development Agenda and the role that can be played by the ECO Member States for the achievement of these goals and targets.
Recognising the importance of moderation as an approach to counter all forms of extremism and promote dialog, mutual respect, understanding and social harmony, thereby contributing towards the achievement of sustainable and inclusive development, equitable growth, stability and prosperity in the ECO Region.
Acknowledge the importance of Afghanistan for ECO Region.
Continue support to the national, regional and global efforts for reconstruction and sustainable development as well as peace and security in Afghanistan.
Welcome the recently adopted United Nations General Assembly Resolution on the proclamation of International Decade for Action Water for Sustainable Development 2018-2028.
Welcome the adoption of the ECO Vision 2025 as a comprehensive document outlining the core principles and areas of cooperation within ECO.
Agreement
The member states agreed upon the following points:
To ensure continued and enhanced cooperation in the areas of common interest through effective, timely and result-oriented projects and programmes in the organisation.
Undertake to implement the long-term sectoral priorities of ECO on development of transport and communication infrastructure, facilitation of trade and investment and effective use of the region’s vast energy resources.
To consider ways and means to promote ECO’s connectivity with other regions in these areas.
Underscore the three core principles of ECO Vision 2025, i.e. sustainability, integration and conducive environment.
Emphasise the need to augment cooperation in the areas of trade, transport and connectivity, energy, tourism, economic growth and productivity and social-welfare and environment as identified in Vision 2025.
Envision a more efficient and effective ECO, equipped with required capabilities and resources, to better serve the noble objectives of the organisation.
Task relevant officials and the ECO Secretariat to take necessary and effective measures, using inside and outside resources, to bring about necessary reforms in the organisation.
Enhance ECO-wide connectivity in terms of transport, telecommunication, cyber, energy and people-to-people exchange, including regional tourism arrangements.
Welcome in this regard the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as a far-reaching initiative that would act as catalyst for the development of the entire region.
Encourage giving priority to, and cooperate on full implementation of the TTFA and its’ annexes as ECO’s approved and most comprehensive and well-studied Transit Transport Framework for ECO Region.
Note that the multi-dimensional connectivity in road, rail, energy, trade and cyber and associated infrastructure and industrial development can promote integration and economic development of the wider region.
Encourage all relevant international and regional financial institutions to actively cooperate with ECO Member States in financing the development of ECO transport corridors, related connectivity and energy projects.
Work to double the current level of intra-ECO trade within the next 3-5 years, including through implementation of ECO Trade Agreement (ECOTA) and other ECO trade-related arrangements.
Acknowledge the crucial role of financing projects on regional development, appreciate the ECO Bank’s growing scope of activities in this regard.
Underline the need to further strengthen the Bank through augmenting its resource base, as well as increasing its membership.
Call for making ECO Reinsurance Company operational at the earliest and encourage other member states to join it.
Enhance regional cooperation in energy sector, focusing on energy efficiency.
Support the coordination of measures in the field of sustainable growth including the use of environmentally friendly, renewable energy and clean energy, the conservation and efficient use of water and energy resources.
Express satisfaction at the successful implementation of corridor-based strategy among the Member States, further express appreciation for the ECO Secretariat for its active role in the execution of the TTFA.
Stress the importance of strengthened and continued cooperation among all stakeholders to build and run information structures in order to bridge the digital divide in the region.
Recognise that information and communication technologies have the potential to provide new solutions to development challenges, particularly in the context of globalisation, and can foster economic growth, competitiveness, access to information and knowledge, poverty eradication and social inclusion that will help expedite the integration of all Member Countries into the global economy, and in this context.
Welcome the joint Study undertaken by ITU and ECO on the ICT in the ECO Region, which would be presented to the 2nd ECO ICT Ministerial Meeting in Azerbaijan for its approval as well as its subsequent
Action plan
The member countries agreed on the following action plan:
Develop a robust regional tourism industry, built on the vast natural endowments and cultural resources, as potential contributor to the economic growth and sustainable development of ECO Region, and to the strengthened affinities within our nations.
Task our tourism and other related authorities to ensure that a multi-sector and multi-purpose tourism industry will be in place in the ECO region as per ECO Vision by the end of 2025.
Express concern about the existing unresolved conflicts in the ECO region, including Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, which hinder the economic growth and realisation of the full economic potential of the region and impede the development of economic cooperation on regional as well as broader level.
Stress the importance of making increased efforts for the earliest resolution of these conflicts based on the norms and principles of international law, in particular the principles of respect to sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Acknowledge the internationally agreed norms and principles, concerning sovereignty and express concern over the attempts by certain quarters to threaten democracy discriminatory immigration policies by some states and use of unilateral economic sanctions and coercion by some states.
Acknowledge the need for supporting measures to immediately address the threats to democratic governments, including coup d’etats aimed at overthrowing the democratically elected governments and constitutional orders of the member countries and the foreign occupation of the territories of the member states, including economic strangulation, which undermine the role of the legitimate democratic governments in pursuing their socio-economic development and programmes.
Recognise the inter-linkage between development, peace and security for lasting prosperity and stability in the Region and expressing grave concern over the security challenges of the region, including inter alia terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations which pose a great threat to individuals’ lives and national, regional and global security.
Reiterating that terrorism cannot and should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilisation or ethnicity and expressing our resolve to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
Recognise that the expansion of regional cooperation has, direct or indirect, impacts on safety, prosperity and welfare of our peoples and societies, including environment and climate change, health, food security standards, disaster risk reduction and education, which continue to be on the agenda of the organisation.
Task our relevant Ministers and officials as well as ECO Secretariat to streamline these important issues and concerns in the activities/projects of the organisation.
Support the efforts of the government of Republic of Azerbaijan aimed at promoting and strengthening Islamic solidarity among Muslim states and in this regard note with appreciation that proclamation of 2017 as the Islamic Solidarity Year in Azerbaijan by the President of Republic of Azerbaijan.
To this end, Call Member States to actively participate in this event to be organised within the framework of the Islamic Solidarity Year in Azerbaijan, as well as in the 4th Islamic Solidarity Games and 4th World Forum on Inter-Cultural Dialogue to be held in May 2017 in Baku.
Take note of the establishment of Islamic organisation for food security aimed at the developing cooperation among ECO Member States in agriculture.
Welcome the ‘International Day of Nowruz as a factor contributing to the strengthening of friendship between nations, and in this context, urge the Member States to actively participate in the celebration and preparation of joint events.
Acknowledge the important role that can be played by the National Parliaments of the Member States in giving more effect to the agreed frameworks within the ECO
Welcome the offer by the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to host the 2nd Parliamentary Conference of Parliamentary Assembly of the Economic Cooperation Organisation (PAECO) at Islamabad in 2017.
Recognise the important role of the small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) in the economic growth of the Member States and the Region as a whole and Task our relevant authorities to undertake necessary measures to strengthen the SMEs, including those that enhance women entrepreneurship and knowledge based enterprises.
Ensure that the existing regional arrangements and programmes in ECO to combat the menace of drugs and transnational organised crimes, including, inter alia, human trafficking, are in place and continue to function and that effective regional mechanisms for cooperation in law enforcement, judicial issues, capacity building, as well as other relevant areas are established.
Renew our strong desire for a secure, prosperous and peaceful Afghanistan, and recalling our recent commitments made in the Brussels Conference on Afghanistan.
Task our relevant authorities and the ECO Secretariat to develop a comprehensive ECO advocacy programme for Afghanistan in the upcoming “ECO Special Conference on Afghanistan” to be held in May 2017 in Kabul.
Express support to the implementation of the UN General Assembly Resolution (on International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development” 2018-2028, adopted on December 21, 2016.
Instruct the relevant authorities as well as the ECO Secretariat to consider this issue in the framework of the activities and projects of the organisation.
Appreciate the initiative of the Kyrgyz Republic to host 1st and 2nd World Nomad Games on 8-14 September 2014 and 3-8 September 2016, respectively.
Encourage Member States to actively participate in the 3rd Games scheduled for 2018, which will contribute to the cooperation between member states.
Welcome the International Exhibition EXPO 2017 to be hosted in Astana, Kazakhstan from 10th June to 10th September 2017 and OIC First Summit on Science and Technology to be hosted in Astana, Kazakhstan on 10th -11th September 2017.
Encourage member states to actively participate in these events.
