The meeting of foreign ministers from member states of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) is scheduled to take place on December 3-4 in Mashhad, Iran.
Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that, based on a decision by the ECO Secretariat, the Islamic Emirate has not been invited to participate in the meeting.
So far, the Islamic Emirate has not commented on the matter.
Sakhi Ahmad Paiman, First Deputy of the Chamber of Industries and Mines, said: “Most countries want stable economic relations and cooperation with the region, including Afghanistan. However, some countries believe Afghanistan should be invited. Political issues may still be the reason for Afghanistan not being invited to this meeting.”
According to Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, key topics of discussion at this meeting will include expanding intra-regional cooperation in areas such as transportation, the environment, and tourism.
Some economic experts believe that having Afghanistan represented at regional economic meetings is of great importance in the current context.
Shams-ur-Rahman Ahmadi, an economic expert, said: “A representative of the Islamic Emirate should have been invited to this ECO meeting.”
Abdul Nasir Rashtya, another economic expert, stated: “Afghanistan is a prominent member of the ECO, and without its cooperation, the organization cannot achieve its pre-defined goals. Afghanistan’s position as a connection point among member countries is crucial.”
The Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) was established in 1985 by Iran, Turkey, and Pakistan with the aim of strengthening economic, trade, and cultural cooperation among member states.
The organization expanded in 1992 to include Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan as members.
ECO now has 10 member states and is considered one of the key regional cooperation organizations in Central and Western Asia.