Foreign dignitaries arrived in Islamabad on Sunday as Pakistan hosts the two-day 30th meeting of the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) Council of Ministers, starting today.

Currently, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Iran, Turkiye, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyz Republic and Uzbekistan are part of the ECO.

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Deputy Secretary General Ahmad Saidmurodzoda, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Secretary General Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Musa Kulaklikaya, and Kyrgyz Republic’s Deputy FM Kairat Erkinovich Tursunkulov are among those in Islamabad for the meeting.

Azeri Deputy FM Elnur Mammadov, Kazakh Deputy FM Arman Issagaliyev, and Turkmenistan’s FM Rashid Meredov also arrived in the federal capital today.

Upon his arrival, Meredov, who is also the deputy chairman of Turkmenistan’s cabinet of ministers, was received by Pakistan’s Ambassador to Turkmenistan and other officials, the Foreign Office (FO) said.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baqaei has said that FM Abbas Araghchi is set to arrive in Islamabad on Monday for the meeting, according to state and semi-official media.

The foreign minister of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Tahsin Ertugruloglu, had landed in Pakistan on Saturday for the meeting.

The ECO’s ministerial meeting will be chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and FM Ishaq Dar and attended by foreign ministers and heads of delegations from ECO member states, along with representatives of the organisation’s secretariat and subsidiary bodies.

It will be preceded by a gathering of senior officials from ECO member states, who will review the organisation’s activities and programmes, assess the work of its subsidiary bodies and finalise the agenda and draft outcome documents for consideration by the ministers.

Pakistan, which holds the ECO chairmanship for 2026-27, will seek to advance the organisation’s objectives under the theme “Reviving Regionalism for a Resilient ECO”, the FO said in a statement on Saturday.

It said Pakistan’s chairmanship would focus on strengthening regional connectivity and integration, deepening partnerships and promoting collective efforts for economic prosperity and sustainable development.

The chairmanship would also provide an opportunity to strengthen the ECO’s role as a platform for regional cooperation, dialogue and economic collaboration, it added.

According to the FO, Pakistan also aims to position itself as a regional connectivity hub, facilitate logistics supply chains and help shape the agenda for regional trade.

The efforts would help unlock the region’s economic potential and translate the benefits of regional cooperation into tangible improvements in the lives of people in ECO member states, the statement said.

Dar meets ECO, OIC heads

On the sidelines of the meeting, DPM Dar met incumbent ECO Secretary General Asad Majeed Khan, FO said.

Dar underscored the importance of strengthening “regional cooperation, connectivity and economic integration” within the ECO region. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to hosting the ECO Summit in 2027, the FO said.

He also appreciated the ECO secretariat’s efforts in advancing the agenda of the organisation, and its support for Pakistan’s priorities during its chairmanship.

“The secretary general appreciated Pakistan’s excellent arrangements, hospitality and coordination for the 30th ECO-COM and congratulated Pakistan on its upcoming chairmanship and hosting of the ECO-COM and ECO Summit in 2027, reflecting the importance Pakistan attaches to regionalism and multilateral cooperation,” the statement said.

It added that both sides reaffirmed the importance of close coordination during Pakistan’s chairmanship “to ensure effective implementation of agreed initiatives and advance shared goals of regional development and prosperity”.

DPM Dar also held a meeting with the OIC secretary general, welcoming him on his first visit to Islamabad since assuming office this year, the FO said.

He “reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening the OIC as a unified and effective voice of the Muslim Ummah” and assured Ahmed of Pakistan’s continued support and cooperation in advancing the OIC’s objectives.

“The secretary general appreciated Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts during the Iran-US conflict to promote peace and stability in the region. He also commended Pakistan’s active role in the OIC, including its contributions through COMSTECH to promoting scientific and technological cooperation among member states,” the FO said.

Both sides agreed to maintain close cooperation within the OIC, while also reiterating “their steadfast support for the peoples of Palestine and Jammu and Kashmir and the realisation of their right to self-determination”, it added.

Separately, the ECO secretary general also met Deputy FM Tursunkulov to discuss Kyrgyzstan’s “contributions and ECO’s work in a range of areas including trade, energy, industry and tourism cooperation”, he said.