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Pakistan has been elected to chair the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Council of Ministers (COM) for the 2026–27 term. The announcement came during the 29th ECO Council of Ministers meeting, where Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar led Pakistan’s delegation and received congratulations from fellow member states.
“Pakistan thanks all member states for their support and looks forward to strengthening regional cooperation. We are honored to host the next COM meeting in 2026,” Dar said.
ECO, originally established in 1964 as the Regional Cooperation for Development (RCD) by Iran, Pakistan, and Türkiye, was renamed in 1985. Today, the organization connects South, West, and Central Asia with Europe and the Arab world, covering more than 460 million people across 8 million square kilometres. Its mission is to foster sustainable economic development and improve the collective welfare of member states through regional cooperation.
Pakistan’s chairmanship comes at a time of growing emphasis on trade facilitation, energy collaboration, and regional connectivity, signaling Islamabad’s active role in promoting economic growth across the ECO region.
