The Seminar on “Doha negotiations and accession process to WTO for the ECO Member States: Experience of the Republic of Turkey” was organized by Ministry of Economic Development of the Republic of Turkey in collaboration with the Islamic Development Bank and Economic Cooperation Organization on June 18-20, 2012 in Istanbul, Turkey. The Seminar was attended by the representatives of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Republic of Turkey alongwith the representatives of ECO Secretariat, IDB, UNCTAD, WTO, academicians and experts.

 The aim of the Seminar was to assist member countries in strengthening their human and institutional capacities for better understanding and implementation of the WTO agreements and also to prepare them for effective participation in negotiations on WTO-related issues. The Seminar provided an opportunity to officials of ECO Member States to exchange information and views regarding WTO accession and the recent status of the negotiations on Doha Development Agenda.

 At present only three Member States of the ECO region namely Kyrgyz Republic, Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Republic of Turkey are members of the WTO, whereas the six Member States namely, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, I.R of Iran, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have observer status in WTO.

 Tehran, June 24, 2012