ISLAMABAD (The Thursday Times) — Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Sunday that Pakistan will host the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) summit in 2027, as he met the bloc’s secretary general and the head of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on the sidelines of the 30th ECO Council of Ministers in Islamabad.
Dar met ECO Secretary General Dr Asad Majeed Khan and stressed the importance of regional cooperation, connectivity, and economic integration, the Foreign Office said. He set out Pakistan’s priorities for its chairmanship under the theme “Reviving Regionalism for a Resilient ECO” and reaffirmed that Pakistan will host the summit next year.
Khan thanked Pakistan for its arrangements and hospitality for the ministerial meeting and congratulated it on its coming chairmanship and on hosting the Council of Ministers and the summit in 2027. Both sides agreed to coordinate closely during the chairmanship so that agreed initiatives are carried out.
Meeting with the OIC chief
Dar also met OIC Secretary General Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, who was making his first visit to Islamabad since taking office. The deputy prime minister said Pakistan remains committed to strengthening the OIC as a unified and effective voice of the Muslim Ummah, and promised continued support for its objectives.
The Foreign Office said the secretary general praised Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts during the Iran–US conflict to promote peace and stability, and commended its role in the OIC, including through COMSTECH, the body that promotes scientific and technological cooperation among member states. The two sides reiterated their support for the Palestinian people and for the right of the people of Jammu and Kashmir to self-determination.
What comes next
The two-day ministerial session runs on Sunday and Monday. Ahead of the meeting, state media said ministers were expected to adopt an Islamabad Declaration and approve ECO Vision 2035, a ten-year framework for regional connectivity and economic integration. Read how the talks opened in Islamabad.
