ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The 13th Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Summit elected Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as its Chairman in Islamabad on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Summit began in Islamabad on Wednesday morning with the theme “Connectivity for Regional Prosperity”.
All the 10 member States including Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Iran, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan besides a special representative from China are participating in the Summit. Afghanistan is being represented by its ambassador in Islamabad.
The 13th ECO Summit is focusing on enhanced economic cooperation and regional connectivity. Its theme has assumed special significance in the backdrop of monumental project of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
The Summit will also adopt Islamabad Declaration and ECO Vision 2025, approved by the Council Of Ministers, envisaging road map for enhanced economic cooperation and connectivity.
In 1985, the ECO was established by Iran, Pakistan and Turkey to promote economic, technical, and cultural cooperation among the member states.
The ECO is the successor organization of Regional Cooperation for Development (RCD) which remained in existence since 1964 up to 1979. In 1992, the Organization was expanded to include seven new members, namely: Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
