ECO
Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) is an intergovernmental regional organization encompassing countries from Europe, Caucuses and Central Asia, Middle co logoe East, and South Asia with more than 460 million inhabitants and over 8 million square kilometres connecting Russia to the Persian Gulf and China to Europe. The overall objective of the Organization is the sustainable economic development of its Member States and the Region as a whole.
Established as Regional Cooperation for Development (RCD) in 1964 by Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey, the Organization was renamed as “ECO” in 1985. In 1992 and in the aftermath of the collapse of Soviet Union, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and six former Soviet Republics, namely, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrg Republic, Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and the Republic of Uzbekistan also joined the Organization, forming one of the biggest regional blocs in Asia and beyond. Over the past three decades or so, the ECO Member States have been collaborating to accelerate the pace of regional development through their common endeavors. Besides shared cultural and historic affinities, they have been able to use the existing infrastructural and business links to further fortify their resolve to transfer their hopes and aspirations into a tangible reality.
In March 2017, Heads of States/Government of the Member States in their 13th Summit in Islamabad endorsed “ECO Vision 2025” where main directions of the ECO in the years to come are drawn.
For More Information visit:
www.eco.int