ECO Summit Emphasizes the Need to Combat Terrorism and Expand Economic Cooperation

The participating countries in the 13th summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Wednesday, March 2, emphasized the necessity of establishing security, combating terrorism, and expanding economic cooperation in the region in their final statement. In addition to Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, Central Asian countries and Azerbaijan are members of the ECO. The participants agreed to collectively combat the challenge of terrorism and enhance their efforts for cooperation in trade, energy, and infrastructure development. During this one-day summit, the ten member countries finalized and approved a program known as 'Vision 2025' aimed at expanding trade and economic organization among member countries. Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, in his opening speech at the ECO summit, stated, 'In this summit, we aim to focus on greater communications and broader trade links between our countries to bring development to the people of the ECO region.' He also mentioned the relevance of the summit's topic to regional developments, saying, 'More countries in our region have made significant investments in communication projects.' The Prime Minister of Pakistan also noted that Central Asian countries act as a bridge between Europe and Asia, adding, 'Oil and gas pipelines through mountains and deserts connect our markets, and meanwhile, railway networks have been a testament to our commitment to being connected. However, we can and must achieve greater goals through more cooperation.' Iranian President Hassan Rouhani also stated, 'As long as security is at risk, there will be no bright prospect for development and prosperity.' He considered 'terrorism and extremist ideologies' as a common threat facing the world and added, 'Coordination and cooperation in combating this evil phenomenon has become a necessity.' The ECO summit was held under strict security measures following recent suicide bombings in Pakistan that left over 125 dead. According to local media, all roads leading to the summit venue were blocked, and all offices, schools, and most businesses were closed. Government officials stated that holding this summit is a sign that despite terrorist unrest in Pakistan, the country cannot be isolated from international scenes. During the 13th ECO summit, the rotating presidency of the organization was officially transferred from Azerbaijan to Pakistan as the host country. Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the President of Turkey, were among the participants in the ECO summit in Islamabad. Iran, Turkey, and Pakistan are the founding countries of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), which was established in 1985.