One of the key areas where the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) can increase its influence is in its engagement with other regional organizations. In our interview with ECO Secretary General Mr. ASAD Majid Khan, we delve into the future of the Organization and its role in shaping sustainable development in the region, in particular discussing ECO’s engagement with the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), given the unique overlap of their membership and their shared goals.
– ECO was founded in 1985 during a period of significant geopolitical changes. What key factors, in your opinion, contributed to the establishment of ECO, and how have the Organization’s initial objectives evolved over time in light of shifting regional dynamics?
– ECO is one of the oldest organizations in the region and beyond, with only a few regional intergovernmental entities predating its creation. To understand the background and context of the creation of ECO, it is essential to look at the dynamics that lead to the establishment of the Regional Cooperation for Development (RCD). We started off as a pioneer in regional development cooperation involving developing countries, a concept that was taking roots in the sixties with the emergence of a number of new countries from the shackles of colonialism and keen to promote south-south cooperation. That spirit of south-south cooperation remained the primary and principle driving force in the transformation of RCD to ECO with Izmir Treaty as the charter of both organizations. While the level of ambition may have varied depending on the geopolitical dynamics, regional trade and transport integration remained the two overarching priorities at various point in time through ECO and RCD’s existence earlier.
Starting off with Iran, Pakistan and Türkiye in July 1964 as RCD and then renamed as ECO in 1985, ECO took a significant turn in 1992 when it expanded its membership to include seven new countries from Central Asia and the Caucasus: Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. With a larger and more diverse membership, ECO has been focused on large-scale infrastructure projects, trade facilitation and transport integration. ECO has also substantially evolved over a period of time to meet the changing needs of its Member States. Today, the Organization emphasizes trade facilitation, transport integration, tourism promotion, energy and agriculture cooperation and sustainable development. ECO also has 24 subsidiary bodies, three observer and collaborative frameworks with around 40 regional and international organizations.
– The economies of ECO Member States face a variety of challenges, including geopolitical instability and economic volatility. How would you characterize the current economic state of the ECO region, and what are the key issues that require immediate attention?
– ECO has all the ingredients that contribute to the success of a regional organization – i.e., absence of territorial disputes, common borders, shared history, culture and deep rooted ancient economic linkages. ECO is home to 550 million people, encompasses 8 million square kilometers area, and boasts around 78 UNESO registered world heritage sites. Three countries (Pakistan, Iran and Türkiye) have huge coast lines. Seven ECO countries are landlocked and enjoying geographical continuity with the coastal states, offering win-win situation for regional cooperation.
However despite overlaps and potential, compared to other regional economic blocs, ECO’s intraregional trade figures still remain relatively modest. This can be attributed to a number of factors that would warrant a separate discussion. Be that as it may, realizing the full potential of ECO clearly is both a great opportunity as well as a challenge that we must work to overcome. We remain determined to realize the full potential of this organization.
18/08/2025 
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