The first day of the 1st ECO Sustainable Development Forum was held in Arkadag today. The event, jointly organized by ECO and the Ministry of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan, was dedicated to strengthening regional cooperation and advancing efforts towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

In his opening remarks, Economic Cooperation Organization Secretary General Asad Khan highlighted the importance of the Forum as a strategic platform for aligning regional policies with the Sustainable Development Goals, emphasizing the need for greater coherence, innovative solutions and multi-stakeholder partnerships. He highlighted the role of the newly formed High-Level Working Group on Sustainable Development and the forthcoming ECO SDG Performance Index Report in guiding regional efforts.

The Forum brought together ministers, senior officials from ECO member countries, representatives of international organizations, civil society, academia and the private sector. Key themes included climate action, gender equality, decent work, health care and the vital role of family institutions in sustainable development.

A number of bilateral meetings were held on the sidelines of the Forum. In particular, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan Nokerguly Atagulyev held talks with ECO Secretary General Asad Khan, who expressed appreciation for Turkmenistan's active role in the ECO and praised the excellent organization of the Forum.

During the discussions, Dr. Khan shared key trade statistics, noting that the ECO region's contribution to world trade reached US$1 trillion 16 billion in 2023, while intra-regional trade was recorded at US$82 billion. The Secretary General also welcomed Turkmenistan’s proposal to conduct an ECO feasibility study on common border areas with Iran and informed Atagulyev of the upcoming ECO ministerial meetings on various sectors, inviting Turkmenistan to contribute to these discussions. He also stressed the importance of signing and ratifying a number of agreements, including the ECO Trade Agreement and the Agreement on the Promotion and Protection of Investments, to strengthen trade relations and economic cooperation.

The ECO Secretary General also met with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov. Dr. Khan welcomed the upcoming 3rd UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries scheduled for August 2025 in Avaza and expressed gratitude for the invitation to participate in the International Conference dedicated to the International Year of Peace and Trust and the 30th Anniversary of Turkmenistan's Neutrality.

During the discussions, the importance of the recent High-Level Meeting of Deputy Foreign Ministers, the upcoming ECO Ministerial Meetings and the 17th ECO Summit in July 2025 was emphasized.

Recognizing the importance of Turkmenistan's strategic geographic location in expanding regional connectivity and trade, the Secretary-General also expressed appreciation for Turkmenistan's initiatives in tourism and disaster risk reduction and congratulated the country on its achievements in developing sustainable urban infrastructure, the ECO website reported.

Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov also met on the sidelines of the forum with Vice President and Head of the Planning and Budget Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran Seyed Hamid Pourmohammadi and Deputy Prime Minister and Chief of Staff of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan Galymzhan Koishybayev.

ORIENT