- The two-day 30th ECO Council of Ministers meeting is being held in Islamabad on November 15-16.
- Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will chair the ministerial session.
- Pakistan's 2026-27 chairmanship runs under the theme "Reviving Regionalism for a Resilient ECO".
- A meeting of senior officials will precede the ministers' session to finalise the agenda and draft outcome documents.
Foreign delegations have been arriving in Islamabad for the 30th meeting of the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) Council of Ministers, which begins today. Pakistan holds the chairmanship of the regional bloc for 2026-27.
The Foreign Office (FO) said its officials received the visiting dignitaries at Islamabad International Airport on Sunday.
Who has arrived
Türkiye's Deputy Foreign Minister Musa Kulaklikaya, who heads his country's delegation, was among those received by FO officials. Azerbaijan's Deputy Foreign Minister Elnur Mammadov and Kazakhstan's Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Issagaliyev, both leading their national delegations, also reached the capital.
Representatives of two international organisations are attending as well. Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Deputy Secretary General Ahmad Saidmurodzoda and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Secretary General Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed both landed in Islamabad on Sunday.
Tahsin Ertugruloglu, Foreign Minister of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, arrived a day earlier, on Saturday.
According to reports, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is also expected to attend. The reports link his expected visit to the ongoing Middle East conflict, in which Pakistan and Qatar are said to be mediating between Iran and the United States.
| Name | Role | Country / organisation |
|---|---|---|
| Musa Kulaklikaya | Deputy Foreign Minister, head of delegation | Türkiye |
| Elnur Mammadov | Deputy Foreign Minister, head of delegation | Azerbaijan |
| Arman Issagaliyev | Deputy Foreign Minister, head of delegation | Kazakhstan |
| Ahmad Saidmurodzoda | Deputy Secretary General | Shanghai Cooperation Organisation |
| Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed | Secretary General | Organisation of Islamic Cooperation |
| Tahsin Ertugruloglu | Foreign Minister | Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus |
How the meeting will work
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will chair the ministerial session. Foreign ministers and heads of delegation from ECO member states will take part, along with representatives of the organisation's secretariat and its subsidiary bodies.
The ministers will be preceded by a Meeting of Senior Officials from member states. The officials will review the ECO's activities and programmes and assess the work of its subsidiary bodies.
They will also finalise the agenda and prepare draft outcome documents for the ministers to consider.
Timeline
- 1985ECO established by Pakistan, Iran and Türkiye
- 1992Seven more states join the organisation
- Saturday, November 14Northern Cyprus Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertugruloglu arrives; the FO announces Pakistan's chairmanship theme
- Sunday, November 15Delegations from Türkiye, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, plus the SCO and OIC, arrive; the meeting begins
- Monday, November 16Second day of the meeting
Pakistan's chairmanship agenda
In a statement issued on Saturday, the FO said Pakistan would pursue the organisation's objectives under the theme "Reviving Regionalism for a Resilient ECO". It said the term would focus on regional connectivity and integration, stronger partnerships and joint efforts for economic growth and sustainable development.
The FO described the chairmanship as an opportunity to make the ECO a stronger forum for regional cooperation, dialogue and economic collaboration. It added that Pakistan wants to present itself as a hub for regional connectivity, supporting logistics and supply chains and helping to shape the region's trade agenda.
According to the statement, these steps are meant to unlock the region's economic potential and bring real improvements to the lives of people across ECO member states.
About the ECO
The ECO was established in 1985 by Pakistan, Iran and Türkiye. It expanded in 1992 to include Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
The 10-member organisation aims to promote economic development through cooperation in areas including trade, transport, energy and investment.
The meeting of senior officials will finalise the agenda and draft outcome documents. Ministers will then consider them under Ishaq Dar's chairmanship in the session running through November 16.
Questions and answers
When and where is the 30th ECO Council of Ministers meeting being held?
It is being held in Islamabad on November 15 and 16, 2026, under the chairmanship of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
What is Pakistan's theme as ECO chair?
Pakistan's 2026-27 chairmanship is running under the theme "Reviving Regionalism for a Resilient ECO". It focuses on connectivity, integration, partnerships and sustainable development.
Which countries belong to the ECO?
The ECO has 10 members: Pakistan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Türkiye, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
Image: Usman.pg / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
