Foreign dignitaries continue to arrive in Islamabad as the capital gears up to host the two-day 30th meeting of the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) Council of Ministers starting today.
Among the visiting dignitaries is Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Musa Kulaklikaya, who was received by Foreign Office (FO) officials upon his arrival, the FO said on Sunday.
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Deputy Secretary General Ahmad Saidmurodzoda, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Secretary General Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, Azeri Deputy FM Elnur Mammadov and Kazakh Deputy FM Arman Issagaliyev are also among those who have reached Islamabad for the meeting.
Turkmenistan’s Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov, who is also the deputy chairman of the country’s cabinet of ministers, also arrived in Islamabad leading his country’s delegation, the FO said. He was received at the airport by Pakistan’s Ambassador to Turkmenistan and senior FO officers.
On Saturday, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Tahsin Ertugruloglu also arrived in Islamabad to participate in the meeting.
Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baqaei said that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is set to arrive in Islamabad on Monday for the meeting, according to state and semi-official media.
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.
ECO head, DPM Dar hold meetings on sidelines
Incumbent ECO Secretary General Asad Majeed Khan met with DPM Dar on the sidelines of the meeting, according to the FO.
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”.
Separately, the ECO secretary general also met Kyrgyz Republic’s Deputy FM Kairat Erkinovich Tursunkulov to discuss Kyrgyzstan’s “contributions and ECO’s work in a range of areas including trade, energy, industry and tourism cooperation”, he said.
DPM Dar also held a meeting with Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Secretary General Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, welcoming him on his first visit to Islamabad since assuming office, 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.
Currently, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Iran, Turkiye, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyz Republic and Uzbekistan are part of the ECO.
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