ECO leaders link CPEC to region''s development

The 13th Summit of the Economic Co-operation Organisation (ECO) on Wednesday came up with a unanimous resolve to build and promote multidimensional connectivity for greater regional co-operation and integration. The leadership of the 10-member ECO, which gathered here for the 13th Summit, unanimously adopted "ECO Islamabad Declaration" reiterating their political will and strong commitment for realising the aims and objectives of the Organisation for economic development, common prosperity, regional integration and peace and stability in the ECO region.
The ECO leaders also welcomed China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as a far-reaching initiative that would act as a catalyst for the development of the entire region. The heads of state and government who attended the Summit include Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Prime Minister of Kyrgyz Republic Sooronbay Jeenbekov, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Bakytzhan Sagintayev, Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev, President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan, Sooronbay Jeenbekov, Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Ulugbak Rozukulov, Afghanistan Ambassador to Pakistan Omar Zakhilwal and ECO Secretary General Halil Ibrahim.
President of Turkish Northern Cyprus Mustafa Akinci and the UN Secretary General''s special representative also attended the summit as observers while Executive Vice Foreign Minister of China Yesui Zhang participated in the Summit as a special guest. "We, the Heads of state and government of the Member States of the Economic Co-operation Organisation, gathered on the occasion of the thirteenth ECO Summit Meeting, in Islamabad under the theme ''Connectivity for Regional Prosperity'' at the invitation of the government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, on the first day of March 2017, to review the objective conditions and progress in implementation of ECO programmes and projects and to exchange views on regional and global issues of common interest to the ECO region with the aim of consolidating ECO as an organisation, bolstering co-operation and building on shared values and mutual interests," the Declaration stated.
They reiterated their political will and strong commitment for realising the aims and objectives of the Organisation for economic development, common prosperity, regional integration and peace and stability in the ECO region. Celebrating the silver jubilee of the expansion of the membership of the ECO that ushered in a new era and prospects of enhanced regional co-operation for development, the leaders also welcomed further enlargement and outreach of the Organisation through full membership to the interested states, and observership to the interested states/organisations, on case to case basis, adding value to the Organisation.
They reaffirmed their commitment to the principles and objectives enshrined in the Treaty of Izmir, and attaching great importance to the co-operation frameworks developed under the different agreements concluded between the member states and the momentum created in different fields of co-operation which can underpin and complement one another for meeting the objectives of the Economic Co-operation Organisation.
The leaders, recalling their commitment to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter including in particular the respect for political independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, development of friendly relations among nations, and pacific settlement of disputes; also shared their assessment of the constantly evolving global and regional environment and new developments that present multiple challenges and opportunities.
They expressed the 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. They noted the positive political, economic, cultural and technological developments that can facilitate the realisation of the long-held dream of trans-Eurasian connectivity, including in the ECO region.
The leaders underlined the significance of fully exploiting the complementarities offered by shared geography, history and culture, and the comparative advantages and diversity of resources of member states to bring about greater connectivity and economic integration in the ECO region.
They also appreciated the value and importance of a steady and flexible approach to regional connectivity and integration that enables member states to contribute to, be part of and benefit from the various connectivity and integration programmes in a gradual and progressive manner according to their respective state of preparedness.
Recognising 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, they reiterated their commitment to promote intra-ECO trade as an instrument of enhanced economic co-operation and revitalisation in the region.
They further underlined the importance of the Post-2015 Development Agenda and the role that can be played by the ECO member states for achieving the goals and targets set out therein and, in this context, recalled that promotion of conditions for sustainable development through mobilisation of economic and social potential of the ECO region requires further strengthened co-operation and collaboration especially through enhanced trade and connectivity among the member states in order to further strengthen the deep-rooted historical and cultural ties among the peoples of the region.
They recognised the importance of moderation as an approach to counter all forms of extremism and promote dialogue, 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.
Acknowledging the importance of Afghanistan for ECO region, the leaders reiterated their continued support to the national, regional and global efforts for reconstruction and sustainable development as well as peace and security in Afghanistan. The summit also welcomed the recently adopted United Nations General Assembly Resolution (A/RES/71/222) on proclaiming International Decade for Action "Water for Sustainable Development " 2018-2028 as well as the adoption of the ECO Vision 2025 as a comprehensive document outlining the core principles and areas of co-operation within ECO.
The leaders also resolved that member states as well as ECO Secretariat, ECO Specialised Agencies and Regional Institutions will take necessary steps for implementation of ECO Vision 2025 in a timely and effective manner. The summit agreed to ensure continued and enhanced co-operation in the areas of common interest through effective, timely and result-oriented projects and programmes in the organisation.
The leaders also agreed to undertake 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 and to consider ways and means to promote ECO''s connectivity with other regions in these areas.
They underscored the three core principles of ECO Vision 2025 ie sustainability, integration and conducive environment, and emphasised the need to augment co-operation in the areas of trade, transport and connectivity, energy, tourism, economic growth and productivity and social-welfare and environment as identified in Vision 2025.
They agreed to envision a more efficient and effective ECO, equipped with required capabilities and resources, to better serve the noble objectives of the Organisation; and hereby also agreed to task the 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.
They also agreed to encourage member states to accede to relevant agreements developed within the ECO framework in order to achieve the objectives set forth under the Treaty of Izmir and the ECO Vision 2025, and to task hereby relevant ministers and authorities to consider joining these agreements.
The leaders also agreed to enhance ECO-wide connectivity in terms of transport and transit, telecommunications, cyber, and all forms of energy, as well as people-to-people exchanges, including through regional tourism arrangements. They welcomed in this regard the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as a far-reaching initiative that would act as a catalyst for the development of the entire region. The leaders agreed to encourage 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.
They noted that the multidimensional connectivity in road, rail, energy, trade and cyber and associated infrastructure and industrial development can promote integration and economic development of the wider region. The summit also agreed to encourage all relevant international and regional financial institutions to actively cooperate with ECO member states in financing the development of ECO transport corridors, related connectivity and energy projects.
The ECO leaders also agreed on working 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, as well as identification and elimination of physical and non-physical barriers to this end. They acknowledged the crucial role of financing projects on regional development, appreciate the ECO Bank''s growing scope of activities in this regard and underlined the need to further strengthen the bank through augmenting its resource base, as well as increasing its membership. They called for making ECO Reinsurance Company operational at the earliest and encouraged other member states to join it.
The leaders also agreed to enhance regional co-operation in energy sector, focusing inter alia, on energy efficiency, energy infrastructure development including oil and gas pipelines, intra-regional energy trade, particularly electricity trade, and access to affordable energy resources, including renewable energy resources, by promoting green energy investment and the development of environmentally friendly energy technologies, and task respective authorities to consider possibility of pursuing the ongoing initiative of establishment of ECO regional electricity market with the widest possible intra-regional power grid interconnection.
They also agreed to support the co-ordination of measures in the field of sustainable growth including, inter alia, the use of environmentally friendly, renewable and clean energy, the conservation and efficient use of water and energy resources. The leaders agreed to develop, operationalise and commercialise the ECO intra-regional transit networks as well as corridors connecting ECO region with other regions in line with the ECO rail and road development plans, with a view to building the required infrastructure needed for bolstering trade and transport connectivity within the region and beyond.
They also expressed satisfaction at the successful implementation of corridor-based strategy among the member states. They expressed appreciation for the ECO Secretariat for its active role in the execution of the TTFA.
They stressed on the importance of strengthened and continued co-operation among all stakeholders to build and run information structures in order to bridge the digital divide in the region. The ECO leaders also recognised 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, 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 action plan.
They 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; and, therefore, to task tourism and other related authorities to ensure that a multi-sector and multipurpose tourism industry will be in place in the ECO region as per ECO Vision by the end of 2025.
The leaders expressed concern over the existing unresolved conflicts in the ECO region, including Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, which hinder the economic growth and realisation of the full economic potential of the region and impede the development of economic co-operation on regional as well as broader level, and stressed the importance of making increased efforts for the earliest resolution of these conflicts based on the norms and principles of international law, in particular the principles of respect to sovereignty and territorial integrity.
They also acknowledged the internationally agreed norms and principles, concerning sovereignty and expressed concern over the attempts by certain quarters to threaten democracy discriminatory immigration policies by some states and use of unilateral economic sanctions and coercions by some states.
They further acknowledged the need for supporting measures to immediately address the threats to democratic governments, including coup d''etats aimed at overthrowing the democratically elected governments and constitutional orders of the 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 programmes.
The leaders recognised the inter-linkage among development, peace and security for lasting prosperity and stability in the region and expressing grave concern over the security challenges of 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 reiterated that terrorism cannot and should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilisation or ethnicity and expressing resolve to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. They recognised that the expansion of regional co-operation has, direct or indirect, impacts on safety, prosperity and welfare of the 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 Organisation; and tasked the relevant ministers and officials as well as ECO Secretariat to streamline these important issues and concerns in the activities/projects of the Organisation.
The summit also extended its support to the efforts of the government of Republic of Azerbaijan aimed at promoting and strengthening Islamic solidarity among Muslim States and in this regard noted with appreciation that proclamation of 2017 as the Islamic Solidarity Year in Azerbaijan by the President of Republic of Azerbaijan.
To this end, the Summit called upon the 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.
It also took note of the establishment of Islamic Organisation for Food Security aimed at the developing co-operation among ECO member states in agriculture. The summit also welcomed the "International Day of Nowruz" as a factor contributing to the strengthening of friendship among nations, and in this context, urged the member states to actively participate in the celebration and preparation of joint events.
It also acknowledged the important role that can be played by the national parliaments of the member states in giving more effect to the agreed frameworks within the ECO and welcomed the offer by Pakistan to host the 2nd Parliamentary Conference of Parliamentary Assembly of the Economic Co-operation Organisation (PAECO) at Islamabad in 2017.
It also recognised the important role of the small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the economic growth of the member states and the region as a whole and tasked the relevant authorities to undertake necessary measures to strengthen the SMEs, including those that enhance women entrepreneurship and knowledge based enterprises.
The leaders also agreed to ensure that the existing regional arrangements and programmes in ECO to combat the menace of drugs and trans-national organised crimes, including, inter alia, human trafficking, are in place and continue to function and that effective regional mechanisms for co-operation in law enforcement, judicial issues, capacity building, as well as other relevant areas are established.
They renewed their strong desire for a secure, prosperous and peaceful Afghanistan, and recalling recent commitments made in the Brussels Conference on Afghanistan, tasked the relevant authorities and the ECO Secretariat to develop a comprehensive ECO advocacy programme for Afghanistan in the upcoming "ECO Special Conference on Afghanistan" to be held in May 2017 in Kabul.
They also expressed support to the implementation of the UN General Assembly Resolution (A/RES/71/222) on International Decade for Action "Water for Sustainable Development" 2018-2028, adopted on December 21, 2016, and instructed the relevant authorities as well as the ECO Secretariat to consider this issue in the framework of the activities and projects of the Organisation.
They also appreciated the initiative of the Kyrgyz Republic to host 1st and 2nd World Nomad Games on 8-14 September 2014 and 3-8 September 2016, respectively, and encouraged member states to actively participate in the 3rd Games scheduled for 2018, which will contribute to the co-operation among the member states. They welcomed the international exhibition EXPO 2017 to be hosted in Astana, Kazakhstan, from 10th June to 10th September 2017 and OIC First Summit on Science and Technology to be hosted in Astana, Kazakhstan, on 10th-11th September 2017, and encouraged member states to actively participate in these events.
The leaders also expressed their thanks to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for chairing the successful Summit and also extended their gratitude to the government and people of Pakistan for the warm hospitality and the excellent arrangement made for the summit.