Cross-border Infrastructure
Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO)
In 1985, the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) was established by Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey to promote economic, technical, and cultural cooperation among the member states. 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.
The transport and communications sector, since the early years of ECO, is on the top of the agenda. Key documents in this field are: the Quetta Plan of Action; the Istanbul Declaration (ECO Long Term Perspectives); the Almaty Outline Plan for the Development of Transport Sector in the ECO region; the Ashgabat Declaration of 1997; the Programme of Action for ECO Decade of Transport and Communications; and the Transit Transport Framework Agreement.
Agreements
- Islamabad Declaration (13th ECO Summit)Economic Cooperation Organization1 Mar 2017
- Baku Declaration (12th ECO Summit)Economic Cooperation Organization16 Oct 2012
- Istanbul Declaration (11th ECO Summit)Economic Cooperation Organization23 Dec 2010
- Tehran Declaration (10th ECO Summit)Economic Cooperation Organization11 Mar 2009
- Baku Declaration (9th Summit)Economic Cooperation Organization5 May 2006
News
- Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Togo: [Pakistan Foreign Minister] Qureshi holds talks with his counterpartsBusiness Recorder1 Feb 2022
- 1st train in decade on Pakistan-[Islamic Republic of] Iran-Turkey route reaches Ankara[, Turkey]Daily Sabah6 Jan 2022
- Kazakhstan eyes diversifying trade flows with ECO countriesKabar25 Dec 2021
- Volume of Kazakhstan’s exports to [Islamic Republic of] Iran may exceed $162 mlnKazinform11 Oct 2021
Opinions and Editorials
- Iran-Pakistan-Afghanistan triangular connectivityThe Frontier Post8 Dec 2013
- Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Tajikistan railroad: Mood is positiveTrend26 Apr 2013
- Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline could become Asia's energy lifelineTehran Times12 Mar 2013
- Central Asia's ECO wants energy ties, just not on oil, gasAsia Times11 Mar 2013
Meetings
- Third ECO Ministerial Meeting on TourismEconomic Cooperation Organization3 Oct 2019
- Inception Meeting of KTI RailwayEconomic Cooperation Organization10 Apr 2019
- The 5th Meeting of Heads of Reference Maritime Organizations of ECO Member StatesEconomic Cooperation Organization6 Mar 2019
- 9th Meeting of the Ministers of Transport of the ECO Member StatesEconomic Cooperation Organization3 May 2018