by: Mr. Khalid Taimur Akram, ED, Pakistan Research Center for a Community with Shared Future (PRCCSF), Islamabad.
The Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) plays a key role in promoting economic cooperation and development among its member states such as in facilitating trade and investment, enhancing regional connectivity, promoting sustainable development, strengthening regional security and also cultural, scientific and technological cooperation among its member states.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari is in Uzbekistan to attend the ECO meeting. FM Bilawal Bhutto has met the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan Bakhtiyor Saidov to prospects for further development of the Uzbekistan-Pakistan strategic partnership. Pakistan values the peace efforts of Uzbekistan in boosting cooperation, and connectivity.
Central Asia emerges like a phoenix from the ashes as a mainstay for regional foreign policy alignment. Central Asia increasingly shapes geopolitics and geo-economics with deep reverberations.
Certain Central Asian Republics, especially Uzbekistan has been playing a very important role in promoting regional connectivity. Over the past few years, they have hosted various summits focusing on security to connectivity to power lines. The Central Asian republics’ interest aligns with South Asia, especially on regional peace, prosperity, stability and regional connectivity.
Uzbekistan is becoming an increasingly important hub of regional connectivity initiatives, and its development is expected to have a positive impact on the economic growth and stability of the region. ECO meeting on 24 January 2023, is expected to increase trade and investment flows between the participating countries and to create new economic opportunities for all regional stakeholders.
I am confident that collective efforts among regional partners will make ECO a vehicle for progress & prosperity in our region.
