On the next meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the member countries of the Economic Cooperation Organization

On September 27, 2024, on the sidelines of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly, the annual meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) was held under the chairmanship of the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

At the meeting, the parties discussed the current situation and results of interaction within the Organization, and outlined prospects for the development of economic cooperation.

In his speech, the head of the Foreign Ministry of Turkmenistan noted the importance of strengthening cooperation and developing strategies taking into account modern realities, including in the field of social justice, energy security, sustainable transport, environmental protection, digitalization, etc.

In this context, it was proposed to develop special legal documents that contribute to increasing trade and economic cooperation with the coordinating role of the ECO Secretariat.

The meeting discussed the possibilities of strengthening partnership in the field of expanding transit and transport infrastructure designed to promote the socio-economic development of the region, including Afghanistan.

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The following is the text of the speech by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan:

Dear Minister Abbas Araghchi,

Dear Secretary General Asad Khan,

Dear Colleagues,

First of all, I would like to wish Minister Araghchi a successful presidency of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO). I also congratulate Mr. Asad Khan on his recent appointment as Secretary General.

Our meeting today is an important opportunity to exchange views on regional cooperation and strengthen economic ties between our countries. The 15th ECO Summit in Ashgabat on 28 November 2021 was an important milestone, which resulted in the adoption of the “Ashgabat Consensus for Action”, which outlined key areas of cooperation, including trade, transport, energy and social development.

I express my gratitude to the ECO Secretariat for its efforts to achieve the goals outlined in this document. Turkmenistan commits to closely cooperate in the implementation of Vision 2025 and other key ECO initiatives.

Building on the decisions of the 15th Summit, we must focus on expanding mutually beneficial trade, economic and investment ties. I propose to pay special attention to the creation of economic corridors in the ECO region to facilitate the transportation of goods and resources, as well as the introduction of modern technologies.

We propose to develop an ECO Framework Agreement on Digital Technologies and E-Commerce to enhance these efforts.

To increase trade volumes, we must actively engage in cross-border and regional actions, focusing on partnerships between small and medium-sized enterprises in various fields. In addition, we propose to create an Information Portal that will host data, statistics, and business project prototypes to expand multilateral cooperation.

Turkmenistan also aims to create interregional transport corridors and multimodal transport links with key ports and logistics hubs in Central Asia. We advocate for more coordinated transport diplomacy and cooperation with international organizations in this area.

Another important area is cooperation in the energy sector. In this regard, Turkmenistan is ready to expand the supply of natural gas and electricity to the ECO countries. We also believe that the ECO Secretariat could take a leading role in addressing energy and water issues and consider organizing a high-level meeting to coordinate the efforts of member states in these areas.

I would also like to draw your attention to several initiatives that Turkmenistan is already actively implementing jointly with the ECO Secretariat:

- Preparations for the First ECO Forum on Sustainable Development in the city of Arkadag;

- Proclamation of the city of Mary as the ECO tourism capital for 2027;

- Holding the 5th meeting of the Renewable Energy Group in Turkmenistan in 2024;

- Creation of ECO cross-border trade zones.

We count on the support of ECO member states in promoting these initiatives, which are very important for enhancing our regional cooperation in the long term.

Afghanistan remains a priority topic for our region. Collective efforts are necessary to maintain the security and stability of the Afghan people. Turkmenistan is actively involved in multilateral efforts to support Afghanistan, providing powerful economic and humanitarian assistance.

Recently, on September 11 this year, we celebrated the following important milestones in Turkmen-Afghan relations.

Large-scale energy, transport and infrastructure international projects have been implemented on the border of the two countries:

- commissioning of the railway bridge of the Serhetabat-Turgundi steel highway;

- laying the foundation of the Şatlyk-1 gas compressor station for the TAPI gas pipeline;

- launch of the construction of the Serhetabat-Herat section of the TAPI gas pipeline;

- launch of the Serhetabat-Herat fiber-optic communication line;

- start of construction of a warehouse complex in the Turghundi dry port;

- and commissioning of the Nur-Al-Jahad power plant in Herat province as part of the first stage of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan power transmission line.

Dear colleagues,

In conclusion, let me assure you that Turkmenistan is fully committed to supporting the goals of the ECO and remains open to cooperation with all participating states.

Thank you for your attention.