The ECO Day marks the expansion of the Economic Cooperation Organization this day in 1992 from a three-member state organization to one with ten important regional countries. On this auspicious occasion, I extend warmest felicitations to all member states and their people. It was an historic development of regional significance. We have grown into a well-knit family, sharing many a commonality in history and heritage, faith and outlook, geography and culture. The ECO Day urges us on to pursue our aims and objectives with a stronger commitment and a greater vigour.
Our region has many strengths. These range from a strategic location, rich natural resources, favourable weather systems to talented people. With a population of 400 million and a land mass of 8 million square kilometers, we are a no small region. Our total GDP exceeded US$1 trillion (US$1093 billion) in 2007. We had an average Growth Rate of over 6.5 percent last year. Our global trade exceeded US$512 billion.
ECO attaches the highest priority to trade. We crossed an important milestone with the ECO Trade Agreement taking effect from this year. It will give a strong boost to regional trade, already worth US$32 billion. We are pressing ahead toward a free trade area by 2015. The ECO Trade and Development Bank and the ECO Chamber of Commerce and Industry are already functioning. We have signed a set of agreements on investment promotion, customs cooperation and visa facilitation. We are also pursuing trade capacity building in cooperation with UNIDO and UNCTAD.
In transport, implementation of Transit Transport Framework Agreement is underway. An initial amount of US$512,000/- has been provided for it. We are creating an ECO Transport Infrastructure Development Fund for regional projects. We are streamlining Istanbul-Almaty train and pursuing its extension to Afghanistan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan. We also propose to launch a demonstration train on Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul route in 2009. ECO’s region-wide White Card scheme for Third Party insurance is ready to be introduced shortly.
In the energy sector, ECO’s aim is to promote power trade, power exchange and efficient use of renewable sources of energy. We are accelerating completion of the feasibility study on inter-connection of ECO power systems. We held a useful workshop in Almaty this month with the help of World Bank. Our Ministerial meeting on energy in Tajikistan early next year will make a comprehensive review of energy cooperation to strengthen and promote it.
In industry, we are implementing measures agreed at the Ministerial meeting in Lahore (November 2006). The aim is to enhance the share of industrial goods and services in trade, encourage viable joint projects, help create an investment-friendly environment and facilitate greater involvement of the private sector. Efforts are also underway to promote privatization and establish an ECO nanotechnology network.
In agriculture, ECO’s Regional Programme for Food Security (RPFS) addresses low yield of crops, post-harvest losses, inefficient use of water and the problem of salinity. Our Agriculture Ministers (Baku, September 2008) decided to set up an ECO Regional Seed Association in Turkey and Regional Water Management Centre in Pakistan. We are also establishing a Permanent Veterinary Commission to combat transboundary diseases, and a Biotechnology Network.
Our region faces serious transnational organized crimes. These include drug trafficking, terrorism, human and arms smuggling as well as money laundering. The ECO Interior Ministers (Ashgabat, May 2008) approved a joint strategy to fight these menaces. We appreciate the support of UN and other agencies – IOM, UNODC and EC – in this campaign.
We are pursuing a few reconstruction projects in Afghanistan. These include a Public Park and Kabul Zoo, which are nearing completion. Three other projects have been approved lately. These are for a school and a health centre in Bamian and a maternity hospital in Faryab.
In conclusion, ECO has picked faster momentum. We are moving steadily to realize the full potential of the organization. I am confident that we will achieve this aim and much more.
