ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will attend the 17th Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) Summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, from July 3 to 4, where he will discuss trade, connectivity, energy cooperation, and sustainable development.
“During the summit, the prime minister will share Pakistan’s perspective on key regional and global challenges, reaffirm Pakistan’s commitment to the ECO Vision 2025, and advocate for enhanced intra-regional trade, transport connectivity, energy cooperation, and sustainable development,” the foreign office said.
Sharif will also meet with ECO leaders on the sidelines of the summit, the statement read.
Pakistan, Iran and Turkiye, founded the Regional Cooperation for Development (RCD) organisation in 1964. Later, more states joined, and RCD evolved into ECO.
Its current members include Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
The 17th Summit is taking place when two key member states — Pakistan and Iran — are facing serious disruptions to trade and connectivity. India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, a 1960 agreement that prohibits it from storing or diverting the flow of western rivers in a way that affects Pakistan’s downstream access. Pakistan, citing this suspension as an act of war, shut down overland trade routes, including the Wagah border, and banned all Indian air traffic through its airspace.
Tensions escalated further after India carried out airstrikes inside Pakistani territory, alleging Pakistan’s involvement in the Pahalgam attack. The Pakistan Air Force reportedly downed numerous Indian Rafales with its Chinese-made jets.
Separately, the Iran-Israel conflict continues to affect the region’s energy and transport corridors and global oil supply chain.
