Türkiye is the "engine" that drives growth for Eurasia, as the country acts as a "bridge," bringing South, Central and West Asia and the Caucasus together, the secretary-general of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Asad Majeed Khan said recently.
On a visit to Ankara, Khan said that Türkiye is "the linchpin" for growth, posing great significance for the region.
He said he contacted the ECO Educational Institute (ECOEI) and the ECO Seed Association (ECOSA) in Türkiye.
"(These meetings) have helped me better understand the Turkish perspective and also communicate the challenges, the opportunities, that we face as an organization," he told Anadolu Agency (AA).
Khan stated that the ECO is a "pioneer" in regional development cooperation – focusing on air, road, rail connectivity, energy and infrastructure development.
He mentioned that climate change, food security and cultural cooperation are among the most important items on the organization's agenda.
Decadelong plan to conclude
"The ECO vision is expected to conclude this year. One of the key agenda items in my conversations here in Ankara was to flag this need to draw up the next vision for the next 10 years. So, for us, economic and development cooperation, covering the whole range of sustainable development issues, including education, health and trade, are priorities," he said.
Khan highlighted that Türkiye plays a primary role through its contributions to the ECO, linking the organization to the rest of the world.
He emphasized that there are concrete steps being taken to increase the trade between Türkiye and ECO member states, as the organization is determining a new vision that puts trade at the center.
Khan added that the three priorities of "the movement of goods, the movement of people and the movement of capital" will increase trade and financial transactions while bringing tourism to the region.
The ECO is a political and economic intergovernmental organization founded by Türkiye, Pakistan and Iran in 1985 to serve as a platform to discuss and improve development and promote trade and investment opportunities.
It has seven other members: Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.