UAE Participates in 17th ECO Summit in Azerbaijan, Affirms Commitment to Regional Cooperation
Baku, The Gulf Observer: Representing President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, participated in the 17th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) held in Khankendi, Republic of Azerbaijan, on Saturday.
The UAE’s participation came in response to a special invitation extended by President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan to His Highness the President of the UAE. This gesture underscores the strong and evolving ties between the two nations, particularly in areas of mutual strategic interest.
The summit brought together a number of regional leaders, including:
- President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan,
- President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Türkiye,
- President Masoud Pezeshkian of Iran,
- President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan,
- President Sadyr Japarov of Kyrgyzstan,
- President Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan,
- President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan,
- Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan,
- Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan, Rashid Meredov,
- Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs of Afghanistan, Abdul Ghani Baradar.
Bilateral Meetings on the Sidelines
On the sidelines of the summit, Dr. Sultan Al Jaber held a bilateral meeting with President Ilham Aliyev, where the two sides discussed the current state of UAE-Azerbaijan relations, reviewed ongoing joint initiatives, and explored new opportunities for cooperation in the fields of energy, renewable energy, and infrastructure development.
Dr. Al Jaber also held a separate meeting with Rashid Meredov, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan. The two sides discussed practical avenues for deepening cooperation between the UAE and Turkmenistan, particularly in priority sectors such as energy, trade, and industrial development.
About the ECO
The Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) is a regional intergovernmental body comprising ten member states: Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The organization is dedicated to fostering economic, trade, and development cooperation, with a focus on transport, energy, agriculture, and environmental sustainability.
The UAE’s participation as a special guest at this high-level summit reflects its growing engagement with regional organizations and its commitment to supporting multilateral dialogue, regional integration, and sustainable development goals.
