ECO Summit in Azerbaijan's Khankendi garners wide coverage in Uzbek media PHOTO

The 17th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), held in Khankendi, has received broad coverage in Uzbekistan’s media landscape.

The event was reported by leading outlets including the National News Agency of Uzbekistan (UZA), Gazeta.uz, “Uzbekistan News” (upl.uz), Uzdaily, Uznews, and “Business Uzbekistan,” among others, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

The coverage emphasised the strengthening bilateral relations between the presidents of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, as well as expanding cooperation across key sectors and the implementation of joint international initiatives.

Among the major developments highlighted was the launch of the Green Corridor Union—a joint venture established on July 1 by Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan. The project aims to facilitate the export of green energy to Europe. All three countries are noted for their considerable potential in the renewable energy sector and their shared commitment to utilising these resources collaboratively.

Uzbek media also underlined that the partnership between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan sets a strong example for other ECO member states. Azerbaijan’s hosting of the “ECO Week” was noted as a key step toward deepening economic and political integration within the organisation. 

Commentators pointed to the Central Asian republics’ transit, transport, and economic capabilities, along with their strategic geographic position, as pivotal to enhancing ECO’s effectiveness as a regional bloc.

Uzbekistan, in particular, has reiterated its interest in expanding cooperation with member states in cutting-edge technologies and innovation, reinforcing the country’s active role in shaping the ECO’s strategic direction.

The 17th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) was held on July 3-4, in Khankendi, Azerbaijan, under the chairmanship of President Ilham Aliyev. The summit, themed “New ECO Vision for a Sustainable and Climate Resilient Future,” marked a significant milestone in regional cooperation, hosted in Azerbaijan’s Karabakh region, a symbolically important location recently revitalised after decades of conflict. 

The 17th Summit convened heads of state, government officials, ministers, and representatives from the ten ECO member states, alongside observers like the Turkish Cypriot State and the Organization of Turkic States, and special guests from Nigeria, the United Arab Emirates, and international organizations such as the United Nations and TRACECA.

The ECO, founded in 1985 by Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey as a successor to the Regional Cooperation for Development (RCD), expanded in 1992 to include Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. It now spans over 8 million square kilometers with a population exceeding 460 million, aiming to foster trade, transportation, energy, and socio-economic cooperation among member states.

By Khagan Isayev