Tajikistan Eyes Stronger ECO Integration Through Trade and Transit

Tajik President Emomali Rahmon has declared that Tajikistan views trade, economic, and transport cooperation with fellow member states of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) as a cornerstone of its foreign policy.

The president made these remarks at the 17th ECO Summit held in Azerbaijan’s Khankendi, The Caspian Post reports via Asia-Plus.

Addressing regional leaders, Rahmon underscored that advancing collaboration in trade, transport, industry, and agriculture is vital to achieving sustainable and inclusive development throughout the ECO region.

“In this regard, it was deemed appropriate for the ECO Secretariat, alongside reviewing and assessing the outcomes of the ‘ECO Vision 2025’ document, to work jointly with member states on drafting a new strategic framework aimed at fully unlocking the region’s trade and economic potential,” Rahmon said in his address.

The president noted a significant rise in Tajikistan’s engagement with ECO member countries, highlighting that trade turnover reached 33 per cent of Tajikistan’s total foreign trade in 2024 - an 18 per cent increase over the previous year.

Rahmon placed strong emphasis on enhancing regional transport links through the development of multimodal corridors, eliminating trade and transit barriers, and integrating infrastructure across road, rail, and air networks. He also urged member states to digitize transport and transit documents to improve transparency and operational efficiency.

“This step will help expand trade, enhance its security, save time, and increase the volume of international freight traffic,” he said.

Energy was another focal point of Rahmon’s remarks, where he advocated for deeper collaboration on renewable energy, green technology, and regional energy security. He called for the full implementation of the CASA-1000 electricity transmission project and proposed creating a strategy to ensure the energy resilience of ECO countries.

Rahmon also addressed cooperation in areas such as industry, agriculture, food security, environmental protection, climate adaptation, science and education, healthcare, and tourism - sectors he identified as critical for regional integration and growth.

On the sidelines of the summit, the Tajik leader held bilateral meetings with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, reinforcing Tajikistan’s commitment to active diplomacy within the ECO framework.

The summit convened leaders from across the region under the theme “New ECO Vision for a Sustainable and Climate Resilient Future”.