It gives me great pleasure to extend sincere felicitations to member states on the fourteenth ECO day. This day happily coincides with the convening of the Third ECO Ministerial Meeting on Industries in Lahore, which Pakistan is honoured to host.

In recent years, ECO has made admirable progress in diverse areas. It has extended its mandate to include cooperation in the key sectors of security agriculture, industry, finance and environment. Entry into operations of the ECO Trade and Development Bank by next year would enhance manifold, ECO’s ability to translate its plans into tangible results.

This date serves to remind us of ECO's tremendous promise for promoting meaningful regional cooperation, and to reaffirm our commitment to the principles and objectives of the Treaty of Izmir.

I wish ECO and the ECO community of nations every success in their noble endeavours.