Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has announced that Pakistan will host the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Summit in 2027, Dunya News reported on Sunday.
According to the Foreign Office, Dar made the announcement after meeting ECO Secretary General Dr Asad Majeed Khan in Islamabad on the sidelines of the 30th session of the ECO Council of Ministers.
During the meeting, the deputy prime minister underscored the importance of strengthening regional cooperation, enhancing connectivity and promoting economic integration among member states.
Dar said Pakistan remained committed to advancing regional cooperation, connectivity and economic integration through the ECO framework.
Dr Asad Majeed Khan appreciated Pakistan’s arrangements for the Council of Ministers meeting and its hospitality, and congratulated Pakistan on assuming the organisation’s upcoming chairmanship and on its plans to host the Council of Ministers meeting and the ECO Summit in 2027.
The ECO secretary general said these developments reflected Pakistan’s importance in promoting regionalism and multilateral cooperation.
Both sides also agreed to maintain close coordination between Pakistan and the ECO Secretariat, ensure effective implementation of agreed initiatives and advance their shared objectives of regional development and prosperity.
Pakistan has assumed the chairmanship of the ECO for 2026-2027 under the theme “Reviving Regionalism for a Resilient ECO”, and the 30th session of the Council of Ministers is being held in Islamabad on 15 and 16 November, chaired by Dar, according to the Associated Press of Pakistan.
Pakistan’s chairmanship will focus on strengthening regional connectivity and deepening regional integration to strengthen regional partnerships and promote collective efforts towards greater prosperity, the Foreign Office said.
On Friday, Dar chaired a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to review preparations for Pakistan’s upcoming multilateral engagements, including the ECO Council of Ministers meeting and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Council of Heads of State meeting scheduled to be held in Islamabad in 2027, APP reported.
That meeting reviewed Pakistan’s priorities for the two engagements, with particular emphasis on regional cooperation, economic partnerships and connectivity, and Dar stressed close inter-institutional coordination and thorough preparations for their successful conduct.
Islamabad has hosted the ECO summit before, holding the 13th ECO Summit in 2017, and the organisation brings together 10 member states across the region.
The announcement of the 2027 summit comes as Pakistan uses its ECO chairmanship to position itself as a regional connectivity hub and a facilitator of logistic supply chains and regional trade, according to the Foreign Office.
