Overview

The Directorate of Project Research (DPR) was established in 1998. It functions as a focal point for inter-sectoral coordination among various departments of ECO Secretariat to implement ECO decisions, plans, programmes and policies. The Directorate also serves ECO’s high decision-making organs such as Council of Permanent Representatives (CPR), Regional Planning Council (RPC), Council of Ministers (COM) and Summit. It organizes meetings, prepares reports and takes follow up action on the implementation of the decisions taken in those meetings.

After its establishment, DPR was assigned to look after the ECO-UNDP programme which was implemented in two phases. Under this programme, the Secretariat utilized around one million US dollars from UNDP in the form of consultancies in priority areas, and capacity building of the ECO Secretariat through training of its staff; development of IT structure and support for the Library.

 Pursuant to the decision of COM the Directorate also prepared a Plan of Action for ECO’s participation in the reconstruction of Afghanistan in 2003. The implementation of the Plan is being followed up and reports in this regard are being submitted to the ECO decision-making organs by the Directorate.

The Directorate also is responsible for ECO cooperation in the sector of finance and economy. Within the framework of this sector, First Ministerial meeting of Finance and Economy was held on January 29-30, 2004 in Islamabad- Pakistan.

Summary of activities/achievements

The ongoing activities/achievements can be summarized under the following headings:

·     ECO’s participation in the reconstruction of Afghanistan

The Plan of Action prepared by the Secretariat envisages: (i) establishment of an ECO Special Fund to finance some priority projects in Afghanistan; (ii) utilization of the Fund for the feasibility studies for priority projects in Afghanistan on a case to case basis; (iii) allocation of adequate amount out of the ECO Feasibility Fund for implementation of projects other than feasibility studies on a case to case basis; (iv) holding of an ECO seminar on reconstruction of Afghanistan; and (v) organizing training courses for Afghan officials in the priority sectors.

The meeting of the Financial Experts from the member states to finalize the modalities for the establishment and subsequent operation of the ECO Special Fund for reconstruction projects in Afghanistan was held on April 21, 2004 in Kabul – Afghanistan. The agreed modalities for the establishment and operationalization of ECO Fund will be submitted to the 14^th meeting of COM for approval.

The feasibility study for rehabilitation of Nawar Bridge of Hesarak Nangahar Province, Afghanistan from the ECO Feasibility Fund was approved by the Council of Permanent Representatives (CPR). As a result of an agreement between the implementing agency i.e. ECO-CEC and the Secretariat as well as the Government of Afghanistan, work on the study has commenced.  The study is expected to be completed by mid September. 

 A proposal for another feasibility study for the construction of canal crossings in Farah Province of Afghanistan through the ECO Feasibility Fund has also been submitted to the CPR for approval.

·      List of ECO Projects

 In consultation with the relevant authorities of the  Member States, the Directorate was able to compile a list of projects requiring feasibility studies. These projects were evaluated annually and, after some modification, submitted to international and regional institutions for technical assistance. The projects ranged from large scale construction projects such as construction of highways, railway communication lines, oil and gas pipelines to small scale projects such as studies on regional issues and problems, preparation and publication of books, guidebooks, rosters and maps etc. Special care is taken while approaching donor agencies. Prior to this, the Secretariat evaluated the projects in the light of ECO objectives with suggestive grading as high, medium and low. The Directorate consults member states to know their national priorities.

·UNDP Capacity Building Project

 In October 1998, ECO and UNDP agreed on a project on Capacity Building of ECO Secretariat, initiated at the preparatory level in August 1997. The project aimed at social and economic development of the people of ECO Member States by building the institutional capacity of ECO Secretariat and ECO-Specialized Agencies in pursuit of ECO goals.

Under this project, the Secretariat sought UNDP’s support through staff training in multiple areas such as transport, trade, agriculture, macro-economic management and policy, and the establishment of research capabilities.

The implementation of the first phase of ECO-UNDP Capacity Building Project was terminated at the end of 2001. In the second phase of the ECO-UNDP programme, both the organizations agreed to implement a joint project in priority areas of ECO in 2002 and 2003. The agreed joint programme was aimed at generating solutions for the alleviation of trade barriers as well as strengthening the capacity of ECO staff for technical analysis in the area of trade, investment and transport. The programme was completed by end of July 2003 in the form of following ten consultancies:

• ECOTA Framework Document Covering Status of Non-tariff Barriers and Harmonization of Tariffs and Transit Fees in the ECO Region.

• Finalizing ongoing International Trade Centre (ITC) Activities.

• Identification of Direct Investment Potential of ECO member states.

• Business Plan for ECO “Trade and Development Bank”.

• Business Plan for ECO “Reinsurance Organization”.

• Enhance Implementation of the Transit Trade Framework Agreement (TTFA) System.

• Simplification of ECO Customs Organization and Procedures.

• Transport Linkages Development.

• Border Points Constraints Identification.

• Trade Information System Development.

 Cooperation with ECO-CEC

 With the support of the governments of all the ECO Member States, a central resource pool was created in the shape of ECO-Consultancy and Engineering Company (Pvt) Ltd., or ECO-CEC, to participate in the development projects to be sponsored by ECO member states and ECO Investment and Development Bank. The ECO founder states; Iran, Pakistan and Turkey hold an equal share in ECO-CEC. Turkey is being represented by two companies in the ECO-CEC where as and Iran and Pakistan by one each.

The Iranian and Turkish companies specialize mainly in oil and gas pipelines, refineries, petrochemical and industrial engineering, while the Pakistani partner in all other fields of development engineering, including communication, power, urban development, public health, telecommunications, water resources development and agriculture.               

The company remains keen to promote and develop expertise and for this it has successfully held two ECO conferences on the role of ECO-CEC in the member states first in Lahore on 27-30 March, 2002 and second in Ankara on 14-16 October, 2003.

The 3^rd Conference on ECO-CEC’s Role in the Development of ECO member states would be held at the ECO Secretariat in Tehran- Iran in 2004.

ECO-CEC is going to start preparing the two feasibility studies for priority projects of reconstruction of Afghanistan to be financed from the ECO Feasibility Fund.

ECO Feasibility Fund 

DPR is also responsible to make arrangements within the framework of the ECO Functional Methodology for utilization the ECO Feasibility Fund for financing feasibility studies of ECO priority projects. In this respect, it coordinates action with other Sectoral Units and obtains CPR’s approval for utilization of the Feasibility Fund within the framework of ECO Functional Methodology.

Publication of the ECO “Directory of Training Institutions” and “Roster of Leading Experts”

 The Secretariat compiled a Directory of Training and Research Institutions of the member countries in the fields of Trade & Investment, Transport & Communications, Industry, Energy, Health, Science, Education and Culture.  A roster of Leading Experts/ Consultants of the member states in the above areas was also prepared. The Roster and the Directory were published together and distributed among the Member States for better utilization.

·Activities in the field of finance and economics

The 13^th meeting of the Council of Ministers (COM) held on June 11, 2003, at Bishkek (Kyrgyz Republic), agreed to institutionalize the ECO Ministerial meetings in the area of finance/economy on the pattern of other sectoral Ministerial meetings and requested the Secretariat to make necessary preparations for the first meeting.

 In light of the above, Pakistan hosted the first meeting of Finance/Economy Ministers in Islamabad–Pakistan on January 29–30, 2004. The implementation of the decisions of the meeting is being followed by the Secretariat and reports in this regard are being submitted for consideration to CPR and COM meetings. Within the framework of the follow up, the Secretariat is now coordinating to hold (i) the first High-Level Experts Group (HLEG) meeting  to study and suggest a framework for cooperation in various areas of finance/economy; and (ii) the first meeting of Heads of Central Banks of the Member States to make the necessary cooperation in exchanging experiences in implementing their monetary and other macro-economic policies.

Meetings of ECO decision making organs:

CPR, RPC, COM and Summit

The directorate is in charge of the preparations for holding the meetings of ECO decision making organs i.e. CPR, RPC, COM and Summit. Within the framework of these preparations, the directorate drafts agenda, annotated agenda of the subject meetings,   declarations and communiqués to be issued at end of COM and Summit, prepares reports of the Secretary General on ECO activities for submission to these meetings. It also holds coordination activities with host country in connection with protocol and logistic arrangements.

After the conclusion of the meetings, it circulates adopted reports to Member States for information and follow up action. This directorate also prepares implementation reports on follow up action and forwards them to the concerned decision making bodies.

·Training Activities

 The framework of the UNDP Capacity Building project of ECO Secretariat succeeded to arrange a training course for project cycle management in 2002. Taking into account the high turnover of ECO Directing Staff, since then, the Secretariat now proposes an arrangement of similar training courses for ECO staff and staff of the ECO focal points in the Embassies of the member states in Tehran. Upon approval of the relevant organs of ECO, the training course on Project Cycle will be undertaken.

The Secretariat is now working on arranging short term training courses in the field of hydro power generation for engineers from ECO Member States with the technical support of ECO-CEC. This training programme will be announced to member states after finalization of the schedule by ECO-CEC.

Furthermore, as per the provisions of the Plan of Action for reconstruction projects of Afghanistan, the Secretariat is also examining the possibility of arranging training courses for Afghan officials in the priority areas.

Activities for the efficiency and the effectiveness of ECO – EPG

The 13^th meeting of the Council of Ministers (COM) set up an Eminent Persons Group (EPG) from the member states with specific timeframe and target in collaboration with the ECO Secretary General to submit their recommendations to the 14^th COM meeting on the measures to promote efficiency and effectiveness of ECO Secretariat.  The Secretariat made necessary arrangements and preparations for the success of the EPG to carry out its assignment given by COM.  In this regard, the Secretariat prepared ToRs, Analytical Paper on the topics specified by the EPG. The EPG held its two meetings at the Secretariat on January 13-15, 2004, and May 22-25, 2004, respectively and formulated its recommendations which will be submitted to the 14^th COM meeting in September 2004 for consideration/approval.

Economic Research & Statistics

To make a comprehensive analysis for the timely assessment of current and future developments or to conduct a specific research studies for the identification of the integrated perspectives among the Member Countries are of the vital important in regional economic cooperation.

Due to lack of a sustainable information exchange system and without the relevant coordination in past these appropriate activities could not been organized properly by the ECO Secretariat.

In order to take necessary actions for the coordination and improvement of the joint activities in the field of economic research, new technologies of information exchange, collection, analysis and dissemination of statistical data the Directorate of Economic Research and Statistics in the ECO Secretariat was established in March 1998.

The Directorate composed of subunits such as statistics, economic research, information and computer services, library and documentation centre, publications.

There are two major objectives of the Directorate. First of them to establish a cooperative links among the statistical and economic research institutions of the Member States for the obtaining of the country data and also to conduct the  joint economic research studies on the priority areas of regional cooperation. The second major objective of the Directorate is to serve as a principal organs of ECO and Member States for reliable data and the outcome of research studies for the proper policy and decision making.

For strengthening of joint activities on the improvement of cooperation in the field of economic research and statistics the designation of National Focal Points in these fields were emphasized by the ECO Secretariat. At the present time nine National Focal Points on Statistics and seven on Economic Research have been already designated and involved into the process of regional integration. The first meeting of National Focal Points on Economic Research and Statistics (NFPs) was held in Ankara on 14-16 December 1998. The second meeting of NFPs was held in Almaty, Kazakhstan on 4-7 October 1999. Those meetings discussed and approved a new format and contents of ECO Annual Economic Report and ECO Statistical Year Book which will be published from the year 2000. Also During the meeting NFPs agreed on the common approach to establish an ECO intraregional computer network and to implement an ECO joint Economic Research Programme.

One of the first joint activities of National Focal Points in collaboration with ECO Directorate of ERS was preparation and publication of ECO Annual Economic Report for the year 1997. It was the first publication based on comprehensive and reliable data and analysis collected from the Member States and printed in 1998.

Later in the middle of 1999 on the basis of gained experience the Directorate of ERS in collaboration with Focal Points prepared for publication “The ECO Guidebook” and   “ The ECO Annual Economic Report for the year 1998”. All of these and also previous publications may be ordered and subscribed in the ECO Secretariat.

These facilities for researchers have become available thanks to setting up of the modern Library and Documentation Centre at the ECO Headquarters. Presently Library’s stocks are containing of more than 900 titles of books and periodicals. The Documentation Centre may provide for the researchers a different copies of reports, memorandums and agreements related to the ECO development. The recently updated lists of the publications and documents available for the ordering and sending by mail are enclosed in the annexes of this Website.

In the purpose of improvement of the comparative statistical methods and dissemination of reliable information on the regional development the Directorate has anticipated works on adoption of the main socio-economic indicators to be collected from the Member States. On the basis of adopted indicators the ECO Statistical Yearbook will be published by the end of 2000. The relevant dissemination of Statistical Yearbook to the Member States and International Organizations is going to be launched from the beginning of 2001. Also from the beginning of the year 2001 the Directorate has plans to start the conduction of the Joint Economic Research Studies on the topics related to the priority areas of ECO cooperation.

For the modernization of the information and communication systems in the ECO region the works for the establishment of ECO intra-regional computer network among the Member States and the ECO Secretariat has been began to implement by the Directorate. The setting up of a Local Area Network in the ECO headquarters has been completed in October of 1999 and the establishment of ECO-NET is expected to be implemented in the years 2000-2001 with the technical assistance of Asia Pacific Development Information Programme under the UNDP ECO Capacity Building Project.