ISLAMABAD: The 14th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) will be held virtually today (Thursday), and Prime Minister Imran Khan will open the Summit in Pakistan’s capacity as the Chair of the 13th Summit, the Foreign Office said.

The theme of the Summit is “Regional Economic Cooperation in the Aftermath of Covid-19.” The Foreign Office stated in a statement that Prime Minister Imran Khan would open the Summit in Pakistan’s capacity as the Chair of the 13th Summit held in Islamabad in March 2017, while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan would chair the 14th Summit. While sharing Pakistan’s perspective on Covid-19 challenges, it stated that the PM would outline his vision for regional economic development in line with the ECO’s founding principles of promotion of trade and connectivity. It added that Pakistan was one of the founding members of the ECO, in addition to Iran and Turkey. The Organisation was formed in 1985 from the erstwhile Regional Cooperation for Development (RCD). Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan later joined as members of ECO, it added. “As a founding member, Pakistan remains strongly committed to ECO which aims at promotion of effective regional cooperation, with focus on communications, trade, culture and connectivity,” it added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021