Recently the 13th Economic Cooperation Organization (EC)) summit was held in Islamabad. The theme was ‘Connectivity for Regional Prosperity’ and the participants reviewed the objective conditions and progress in implementation of ECO programs and projects.
ECO was a great diplomatic victory of Pakistan as all member states participated; the summit projected Pakistan’s principle stance on greater regional connectivity through greater economic integration, commercial diplomacy and having better political understanding. It conveyed right signals to all the enemies of Pakistan that it was no more isolated.
The Summit has multiplier socio-economic effects which would bring dividends in the days to come for all member states. During the said summit many countries had various meetings at the highest levels and signed many MOUs and agreements in the fields of energy cooperation, investments, infrastructure, science and technology and education cooperation. The Republic of Azerbaijan also signed many MOUs with the government of Pakistan which would provide an ideal platform to move forward.
Islamabad Declaration 2017
The heads of member states of ECO also signed a declaration, salient features of which are given below:-
| Salient Features | Details |
| Economic Development | All member states agreed for achieving greater economic development, common prosperity, regional integration and peace and stability in the ECO region. |
| ECO Expansion | All member states agreed to add more states to the ECO on a case to case basis. |
| Reaffirmation of the Treaty of Izmir | All member states agreed to follow the true spirits of the Treaty of Izmir. |
| Respect to UN Principles | They committed to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter including political independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of states. |
| Sharing Assessment | ECO member states agreed to assessment of the constantly evolving global and regional environment and new developments that present multiple challenges and opportunities. |
| Joint Persuasion | ECO member states agreed to resolve to work together, including by positioning the ECO to effectively address these challenges and to seize the opportunities for the collective benefit of the region and its people. |
| Connectivity | They all approached connectivity as a dynamic concept that encompasses multiple dimensions including cyber, energy, rail, road, and ports and shipping. |
| Development of Educational & Scientific Linkages | All agreed to encourage further development of educational and scientific linkages, and cultural and people to people contacts. |
| Comparative Advantage of Shared Geography | They underlined the significance of fully exploiting the bounty offered by shared geography, history and culture. |
| ECO Integration | They all recognized the existence of various connectivity initiatives in the ECO region, and welcoming that these projects feed into the overall vision of comprehensive ECO connectivity and integration. |
| Promotion of intra-ECO trade | ECO member states reiterated the commitment to promote intra-ECO trade as an instrument of enhanced economic cooperation and revitalization in the region. |
| Post 2015 Development Agenda | They all underlined the importance of the Post 2015 Development Agenda and the role that can be played by the ECO Member States for the achievement of these goals and targets. |
| Moderation | They all recognized the importance of moderation as an approach to counter all forms of extremism and promote dialog, mutual respect, understanding and social harmony, thereby contributing towards the achievement of sustainable and inclusive development, equitable growth, stability and prosperity in the ECO Region. |
| Afghanistan | ECO member states acknowledged the importance of Afghanistan for ECO Region. |
| Sustainable Development | They all pledged their continued support to the national, regional and global efforts for reconstruction and sustainable development as well as peace and security in Afghanistan. |
| Action Water for Sustainable Development 2018-2028 | ECO member states welcome the recently adopted United Nations General Assembly Resolution on the proclamation of International Decade for Action Water for Sustainable Development 2018-2028. |
| ECO Vision 2025 | They welcomed the adoption of the ECO Vision 2025 as a comprehensive document outlining the core principles and areas of cooperation within ECO |
The Islamabad Declaration also consists of certain common interests of all member states which were discussed and ultimately agreed as below:-
(a) Greater Cooperation: They all ensured to have continued and enhanced cooperation in the areas of common interest through effective, timely and result-oriented projects and programs in the organization.
(b) Implementation of the long-term sectoral priorities of ECO: ECO member states undertook to implement the long-term sectoral priorities of ECO on development of transport and communication infrastructure, facilitation of trade and investment and effective use of the region’s vast energy resources.
(c) Promotion of ECO Connectivity: They considered ways and means to promote ECO’s connectivity with other regions in these areas.
• ECO Vision 2025: They all underscored the three core principles of ECO Vision 2025, i.e. sustainability, integration and conducive environment.
• Cooperation in the Areas of Trade: ECO member states emphasized the need to augment cooperation in the areas of trade, transport and connectivity, energy, tourism, economic growth and productivity and social-welfare and environment as identified in Vision 2025.
• Efficient & Effective ECO: They envisioned a more efficient and effective ECO, equipped with required capabilities and resources, to better serve the noble objectives of the organisation.
• Reforms: They tasked relevant officials and the ECO Secretariat to take necessary and effective measures, using inside and outside resources, to bring about necessary reforms in the organisation.
• ECO Connectivity: They all enhanced ECO-wide connectivity in terms of transport, telecommunication, cyber, energy and people-to-people exchange, including regional tourism arrangements.
• CPEC: They all labelled the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as a far-reaching initiative that would act as a catalyst for development of the entire region.
• Implementation of the TTFA: Member states encouraged giving priority to, and cooperate on full implementation of the TTFA and its’ annexes as ECO’s approved and most comprehensive and well-studied Transit Transport Framework for ECO Region.
• Multi-Dimensional Connectivity: Multi-dimensional connectivity in road, rail, energy, trade and cyber and associated infrastructure and industrial development can promote integration and economic development of the wider region.
• Financial Resources: ECO member states encouraged all relevant international and regional financial institutions to cooperate with ECO Member States in financing the development of ECO transport corridors, related connectivity and energy projects.
• Doubling of Trade Volumes: They agreed to work to double the current level of intra-ECO trade within the next 3-5 years, including through implementation of ECO Trade Agreement (ECOTA) and other ECO trade-related arrangements.
• ECO Bank’s Role: They all acknowledged the crucial role of financing projects on regional development and appreciated the ECO Bank’s growing scope of activities in this regard.
• Further Strengthening of ECO Bank: They underlined the need to further strengthen the Bank through augmenting its resource base, as well as increasing its membership.
| Islamabad Declaration 2017 also consists of certain actions which have already been approved and signed by all ECO member states: Salient features of action plan are given below:- | |
| Action Plans | Details |
| Tourism | ECO member states agreed to develop a robust regional tourism industry, built on the vast natural endowments and cultural resources, as potential contributor to the economic growth and sustainable development of ECO Region, and to the strengthened affinities within our nations. Moreover, task of ECO tourism and other related authorities should ensure that a multi-sector and multi-purpose tourism industry will be in place in the ECO region as per ECO Vision by the end of 2025. |
| ECO’s Unresolved Conflicts | They expressed concern about the existing unresolved conflicts in the ECO region, including Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, which hinders economic growth and realisation of the full economic potential of the region and impedes development of economic cooperation on regional as well as broader level. ECO member states stressed upon the importance of making increased efforts for the earliest resolution of these conflicts based on the norms and principles of inter national law, in particular the principles of respect to sovereignty and territorial integrity. They acknowledged the internationally agreed norms and principles, concerning sovereignty and express concern over the attempts by certain quarters to threaten democracy discriminatory immigration policies by some states and use of unilateral economic sanctions and coercion by some states. |
| Support to Democracy | ECO member states acknowledged the need for supporting measures to immediately address the threats to democratic governments, including coups aimed at overthrowing democratically elected governments and constitutional orders of member countries and the foreign occupation of the territories of the member states, including economic strangulation, which undermine the role of the legitimate democratic governments in pursuing their socio-economic development and programs. |
| Inter-Linkage | They all recognized the inter-linkage between development, peace and security for lasting prosperity and stability in the region and expressed grave concern over the security challenges to the region, including inter alia terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations which pose a great threat to individuals’ lives and national, regional and global security. They also reiterated that terrorism cannot and should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilisation or ethnicity and expressing our resolve to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. |
| Regional Cooperation | ECO member states recognized that the expansion of regional cooperation has direct or indirect impacts on safety, prosperity and welfare of peoples and societies, including environment and climate change, health, food security standards, disaster risk reduction and education, which continue to be on the agenda of the organization. |
| Implementation of Projects | They all tasked all Ministers and officials as well as ECO Secretariat to streamline these important issues and concerns in the activities/ projects of the organisation. They supported the efforts of the government of Republic of Azerbaijan aimed at promoting and strengthen. Solidarity among Muslim states and in this regard noted with proclamation of 2017 as the Islamic Solidarity Year in Azerbaijan by the President of Republic of Azerbaijan. They also called upon Member States to actively participate in this event to be organised within the framework of the Islamic Solidarity Year In Azerbaijan, as well as in the 4th Islamic Solidarity Games and 4th World Forum on Inter-Cultural Dialogue to be held in May 2017 in Baku. |
| ECO Food Security | ECO member states took notice of the establishment of Islamic organisation for food security aimed at the developing cooperation among ECO Member States in agriculture. |
| Nowruz | They all welcomed the International Day of Nowruz as a factor contributing to the strengthening of friendship between nations, and in this context, urged Member States to participate in the celebration and preparation of joint events. |
| ECO National Parliaments | They acknowledged the important role that can be played by the National Parliaments of the Member States in giving more effect to the agreed frame-works within the ECO. Moreover, they welcomed the offer by Pakistan to host the 2nd Parliamentary Conference of Parliamentary Assembly of the Economic Cooperation Organisation (PAECO) at Islamabad in 2017. |
| SME Growth | ECO member states recognized the important role of the small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) in the economic growth of the Member States and the region as a whole and tasked relevant authorities to undertake necessary measures to strengthen the SMEs, including those that enhance women entrepreneurship and knowledge based enterprises. |
| Combat the Menace of Drugs | They vowed to strengthen existing regional arrangements and programs to combat the menace of drugs and transnational organized crimes, including, inter alia, human trafficking. Also that that effective regional mechanisms for cooperation in law enforcement, judicial issues, capacity building, as well as other relevant areas are established. |
| Stability of Afghanistan | They all renewed strong desire for a secure, prosperous and peaceful Afghanistan, and recalled their commitments made in the Brussels Conference on Afghanistan. They tasked relevant authorities and ‘the ECO Secretariat to develop a comprehensive ECO advocacy programs for Afghanistan in’ the upcoming “ECO Special Conference on Afghanistan” to be held in May 2017 in Kabul. |
| Water for Sustainable Development” 2018-2028 | ECO member states expressed support for implementation of the UN General Assembly Resolution (on International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development” 2018-2028, adopted on December 21, 2016. |
• Operational ECO Reinsurance Company: They all called for making ECO Reinsurance Company operational at the earliest and encourage other member states to join it.
• Energy Cooperation: ECO member states enhanced regional cooperation in energy sector, focusing on energy efficiency.
• Sustainable Growth: They all supported the coordination of measures in the field of sustainable growth including the use of environmentally friendly, renewable energy and clean energy, the conservation and efficient use of water and energy resources.
• Express Satisfaction: ECO member states expressed satisfaction at the successful implementation of corridor-based strategy among the Member States, further express appreciation for the ECO Secretariat for its active role in the execution of the TTFA.
• Greater Digital Cooperation: They all stressed the importance of strengthened and continued cooperation among all stakeholders to build and run information structures in order to bridge the digital divide in the region.
• Importance of Information and Communication Technologies: ECO member states recognized that information and communication technologies have the potential to provide new solutions to development challenges, particularly in the context of globalisation, and can foster economic growth, competitiveness, access to information and knowledge, poverty eradication and social inclusion that will help expedite the integration of all Member Countries into the global economy, and in this context.
• Study of ITU: They all welcomed the joint Study undertaken by ITU and ECO on the ICT in the ECO Region, which would be presented to the 2nd ECO ICT Ministerial Meeting in Azerbaijan for its approval as well as its subsequent.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who was elected the new chairman of the organization said “we can and should achieve even more by pooling together our individual efforts for greater synergy.” He expressed the member nations’ resolve to fight terrorism and extremism collectively. “We are determined to collectively face challenges such as extremism, terrorism and drug trafficking in order to realize our vision of making the region a zone of peace and prosperity,” he said. “We have committed ourselves to working together for bringing progressive change to the lives of the people in our region, transforming it into a bastion of peace, progress and prosperity.”
PM Sharif expressed his confidence that the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) would soon develop into a key regional economic bloc and said the Summit’s theme, ‘Connectivity for Regional Prosperity’ represented a collective vision to build ECO into a community of shared prosperity through greater economic integration and close people-to-people contact. He was of the view that participation of high-level leadership from all the 10 members of ECO made this summit a most significant milestone. The event also marks the 25th Anniversary of the joining of ECO by seven new members in 1992, he added.
Concluding Remarks
The 13th ECO Summit was of prime importance for ECO to review its performance and for guidance for future endeavours. It highlighted its socio-economic strength. The population of ECO region has reached 471 million and its GDP has crossed one trillion dollars. The ECO member states focused on regional trade, transport and energy during this Summit.
ECO Member States has land mass double the size of Europe, human capital and appetite for development and it holds great potential to serve as an engine of growth not only for Asia but also for the world at large. The special emphasis was on Economic Corridors which will provide access to the ECO landlocked countries. Tourism was prioritized as priority area in the ECO Vision as this will promote tourism activities in the region. ECO signed forty-five MOUs and Agreements with the UN System and other regional and international organizations in different fields.
The theme of 13th ECO Summit was “Connectivity for Regional Prosperity”. The Summit deliberated and decided on ways and means to augment cooperation in the fields of trade, energy, tourism, investments, industry, economic growth, productivity, social welfare and environment. The Islamabad Declaration focused on the Summit theme of connectivity as a dynamic concept that encompassed multiple dimensions including transit transports such as rail, road, ports and shipping and cyber linkages. It acted as a catalyst to integrate these initiatives into a comprehensive connectivity apparatus of the ECO.
ECO has three long term sectoral priorities i.e. development of transport and communication infrastructure, facilitation of trade and investment and effective use of the region’s vast energy resources. It is hoped that a successful and active ECO can serve the interests of all member states, the adoption of ECO Vision 2025 that promises tangible goals for ECO is another major milestone. The ECO Vision 2025 envisages that ECO will become a territory for integrated and sustainable economies as well as free trade area achieved by highly educated societies and improved governance through enhanced cooperation.
The Summit provided a platform to its member states to enhance regional integration through preferential tariffs, activation of established ECO institutions and finalizing an effective transport strategy aiming to boost cross-border connectivity enhancing trade and strengthening regional economic cooperation in the region.
