On November 9, Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev hosted the 16th summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. ECO, established in Tehran in 1985, aims to boost trade and investment ties among South and Central Asian countries and the Middle East. Today, ten countries, including Uzbekistan, which was accepted as a member in 1992, have joined the organization. The cooperation areas for ECO are carved out in their biennial summits.
During the summit, President Mirziyoyev urged greater economic synergy among member nations in response to the evolving global political landscape. The proposed measures for collaboration involve simplifying mutual trade, striving towards a greener economy, stirring the private sector, job creation, and robust foreign investment. He also advocated working via common trade and transport corridors to achieve tangible outcomes in the future.
Last year alone, trade among ECO nations reached $85 billion. However, the President noted that barriers still impede a frictionless trade environment. To counter this, he promoted an agreement on facilitating trade within the ECO, which focuses on improving goods and services trade, eliminating technical and notary barriers, and building e-commerce capabilities. According to estimates, these steps could double the mutual trade volume by 2035.
The President also underlined the importance of heightening industrial cooperation and forming industrial hubs. As part of Uzbekistan’s strategy, a program to boost industrial collaboration and deepen mutual investments was submitted to the ECO secretariat.
Addressing energy security, the President expressed Uzbekistan’s ambitious targets including the creation of 25 GW renewable energies by 2030, amounting to a 40% share in the energy mix. He expressed readiness to exchange experiences with ECO members in this sector and proposed a Council of Energy Ministers within the organization to systematically address cooperation issues.
On environmental concerns, he acknowledged various ecological threats such as glacier melting, water scarcity, desertification, and loss of biodiversity. He suggested the creation of a high-level platform within the ECO to confront these challenges collectively.
In terms of strengthening tourism cooperation, President Mirziyoyev proposed introducing joint tourist routes and general tourism programs, particularly leveraging the “Silk Road” brand. He further recommended the establishment of a dedicated tourism advisory committee comprising ECO member countries’ tourism departments and experts.
To fortify cultural and humanitarian cooperation, annual cultural, art, and film weeks, youth creative festivals, and innovative cooperation platforms are envisioned among the ECO countries. The President, however, was disappointed that Afghanistan’s absence from the summit and urged assistance for the nation, emphasizing its important place in the region’s sustainable development.
Pulled from a detailed report by Farzona Kayumova, a correspondent for JURIST in Uzbekistan, these insights offer a helpful overview of the topics discussed at the 16th ECO summit and President Mirziyoyev’s directions for increased regional cooperation.