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ISLAMABAD: The Centre for Strategic Perspectives (CSP) at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI), Wednesday, hosted a public address on “ECO, Regionalism and the New Geopolitical Dynamics.”
The event brought together a wide range of participants including academics, think-tank experts, and practitioners. Ambassador Dr Asad Majeed Khan, secretary general of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), was the guest speaker.
In his welcome remarks, Director General ISSI Ambassador Sohail Mahmood noted that the current global environment was marked by turbulence and transformation in which major power competition was accentuating and globalisation and multilateralism were under severe stress.
Regionalism, however, was not as challenged, except for in regions like South Asia. If ECO could provide a successful model of regional cooperation then there could be a good demonstration effort for the South Asian region.
While intra-regional trade rose to USD 96.5 billion in 2022 from USD 76 billion in 2021, he remarked that it still accounts for only 9.1 per cent of the region’s total trade—signalling untapped opportunities. He also noted persistent challenges, including border conflicts, terrorism, sanctions, and regional disputes.
Sanctions on certain member states have further restricted economic prospects, while tensions between Pakistan and India pose a challenge to regional stability and wider regional connectivity.
The Israel-Iran conflict of 2025 has also disrupted critical trade and energy routes, underscoring the fragility of regional integration. Ambassador Sohail Mahmood expressed cautious optimism, noting that recent US-mediated efforts at reconciliation between Azerbaijan and Armenia may open new trade and energy corridors in the South Caucasus.
In his wide-ranging public address, Ambassador Asad M Khan shared a comprehensive overview of ECO evolution and its institutional development. He also reflected on Pakistan’s enduring role as a founding member of ECO, tracing its origins from the RCD in 1964—Asia’s first regional development organisation—to its expansion in 1985 with the inclusion of Central Asian states, Azerbaijan, and Afghanistan.
He highlighted ECO’s natural basis for cooperation through shared cultural, religious, and economic ties and noted that its comprehensive institutional framework. Trade, he stressed, is central to ECO’s relevance, and efforts are underway to address challenges related to the ECO Trade Agreement (ECOTA) and the Visa Scheme.
Disparities in infrastructure, historic trade patterns, and geopolitical tensions exacerbated further challenges, but the Organisation is working actively to address them.
Ambassador Asad Majeed Khan warned that climate change is an existential threat, with floods, droughts, and water stress undermining development across ECO states, calling for greater cooperation in renewable energy, adaptation, and water management. Yet, he acknowledged progress in energy connectivity projects and tourism promotion, while underscoring the need for deeper private sector engagement beyond government-led efforts.
Reflecting on the 17th ECO Summit in Khankendi, he described it as a defining moment that renewed commitments to connectivity, trade facilitation, and sustainable development. With stronger political will, institutional reform, and regional solidarity, he expressed optimism that ECO could fulfill its founding vision and emerge as a meaningful platform for prosperity in the region.
Ambassador Inamul Haq highlighted ECO’s continued potential as a vehicle for regional integration, noting that its strength lies in fostering multilateral economic and developmental cooperation among member states. He emphasised the need to move beyond national-level approaches, particularly on pressing challenges like climate change, energy insecurity, and sustainable development, by adopting coordinated regional strategies.
Developing countries, he observed, can benefit greatly from enhanced South-South cooperation—pooling resources, sharing expertise, and jointly building resilience—rather than relying exclusively on external support for climate finance and technology transfer.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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