Members at 2009 ECO Summit in Tehran
Turkey is hosting the 11th summit of the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO), which opened on Monday in Istanbul. The ECO Meeting is being held this week on 20-23 December 2010. The ECO was founded in 1985 by Iran, Pakistan and Turkey, and now it has also included Asian countries – Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan.
ECO is an intergovernmental organisation which involves these seven Asian and three Eurasian nations. It provides a platform to discuss ways to improve development and promote trade and investment opportunities among the member countries.
Pakistan has particularly been highlighted due to the recent catastrophic floods; the President is attending amongst other high-ranking delegation of officials to find resolutions for their country’s needs. Experts from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Commerce and Petroleum have already flown to Istanbul to attend the ECO Summit.
As the common objective of ECO is to establish a single market for goods and services, much like the European Union, Pakistan is set to gain advantage of this forum. Not all ten member states have seen eye-to-eye on green issues in the past but despite their differences they share various potentials, and it is these common prospects that have created a healthier climate of cooperation.
The most important of these potentials for the countries are:
- The shared cultural, Islamic and historic ties between member states.
- Improvements in the transportation sector; including roads, railways and waterways.
- Considerable human resources that promise successful production (including employment).
- The existence of good transport routes and railways for mobilising goods.
- Huge Gas and oil reserves.
- Mass production of farm produce such as wheat, rice, and cotton.
Combining these shared prospective goals means the predominantly Muslim ECO members can realistically look into creating more productive, cleaner and ethically ‘green’ lifestyles for their people.
We’ll keep you posted on how the summit develops.
More green events:
Mosque in Turkey Goes Solar
Abu Dhabi Eco-Chicks Organize Green Drinks Event (June 2010)
Jordan To Host Islam And Environment Event (Sep 2010)
Turkey Water Exports To Iraq Will Double Thanks To Biblical Rivers
