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Business Recorder (19 March 2019)

Dr Hadi Soleimanpour, Secretary General Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), concluded his three-day official trip to Pakistan. This was his maiden visit since he assumed responsibilities as the Secretary General ECO. During the visit the Secretary General paid courtesy calls on the President and the Prime Minister. He was also received by the Foreign Minister of Pakistan. He apprised the leadership about ECO's initiatives and activities as well as his reform agenda to revitalize ECO as a regional Economic Organization. Leadership in Pakistan accentuated ECO's importance in the context of the regional connectivity and trade liberalization.

The Secretary General held detailed discussion with the Foreign Minister and Foreign Secretary regarding challenges faced by the ECO, its Secretariat and ECO Specialized agencies. The Foreign Minister reiterated Pakistan's commitment to ECO and its processes and assured Secretary General of his country's full support in early operationalization of Agreements/MoUs being negotiated or signed between ECO members. Some achievements of the Organization in the fields of education, culture and S&T and implementation of certain important agreements in different fields were also appreciated.

Dr. Hadi also discussed issues related to ECO including social and cultural cooperation among Member countries, infrastructure development agenda of ECO, regional connectivity through road and rail network, trade liberalization, early operationalization of the ECO Trade Agreement, ECO Transit Transport Framework Agreement and ECO Trade and Development Bank (ETDB) with the Federal Ministers for Railways, and Planning, Development & Reforms, Prime Minister's Advisor for Commerce, Textile and Industry and the Chairman Board of Investment (BOI). He also met with Federal Secretaries for Finance, Communication and Science & Technology.

He also held a roundtable discussion on "ECO and Strategic Goals: the Way forward" in the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) and weighed ECO's achievements and challenges while delivering a lecture at Pakistan Planning and Management Institute (PPMI).

https://fp.brecorder.com/2019/03/20190318456198/