HLC meeting on ECO Reforms held in Tehran

Tehran: Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch represented Pakistan in the High-Level Committee (HLC) on Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Reforms and the Prospects of Cooperation in the Region held on Monday here.

At the HLC, the Foreign Secretary presented Pakistan’s perspectives on key matters related to ECO reforms. She stated that ECO needs comprehensive reforms, including financial and budgetary matters, enhancing efficiency of the secretariat, effective recruitment policy, and deliberation on other related matters.

Being the founding member of the organization, the Foreign Secretary reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to regional connectivity and trade. The Foreign Secretary asserted that Pakistan attaches great importance to ECO Trade Agreement’s (ECOTA) early implementation and also would urge all member states to take a broader and more holistic view of the matter for the earliest implementation of ECOTA.

The Foreign Secretary further highlighted the importance of ECO Vision 2025 in terms of increasing intra-regional trade and regional connectivity and also appreciated the Uzbekistan’s proposed Strategic Objectives of Cooperation- 2035.

She said that with collective and coordinated efforts from the platform of ECO, all member states can realize the true potential of the ECO in the region.