BAKU – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Azerbaijan on Thursday to participate in 17th Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Summit being held under theme New ECO Vision for a Sustainable and Climate Resilient Future.
Pakistani premier and other regional leaders are in West Asian region to discuss key regional and global challenges. Azerbaijan’s Minister for Culture Adil Karimli received Prime Minister upon his arrival at Fuzuli Airport.
Accompanied by a high-level delegation, Prime Minister Sharif will highlight Pakistan’s perspectives on sustainable development, regional integration, and economic cooperation. He is also expected to reaffirm Pakistan’s commitment to the ECO Vision 2025 — a roadmap adopted by member countries to promote connectivity, trade, and environmental resilience.
On the sidelines of the summit, the Prime Minister will hold bilateral meetings with fellow ECO leaders to discuss matters of mutual interest, including trade expansion, energy partnerships, and infrastructure development.
Pakistan is one of the founding members of the ECO, which evolved from the Regional Cooperation for Development (RCD) established in 1964 by Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey. The organization was restructured as ECO in 1985 and now includes 10 member states.
With a combined regional trade volume of $76 billion, the ECO has become a vital platform linking Asia with Europe, the Arab world, and Eurasia. In recent years, it has gained traction as a hub for regional economic diplomacy and collaboration.
Pakistan last hosted the ECO Summit in 2017, where the heads of member states endorsed the ECO Vision 2025 to advance collective prosperity and sustainable development across the region.
