The 35^th Meeting of the ECO Regional Planning Council (RPC) was held from February 24-27, 2025 in hybrid mode at ECO Secretariat, Tehran. During the meeting, various sessions of sectoral committees were held to discuss and consider the specific programmes for the year 2025. The Committees made their recommendation to the RPC to implement the plans. The plans were focussed on trade, investment, energy, minerals, environment, human resource, transport & communications, tourism and sustainability.

The RPC serves as the main technical planning body within ECO, responsible for preparing programs of action to realize the organization’s objectives and assessing previous programs. It also proposes the establishment of regional institutions and ad-hoc committees in priority areas of cooperation to the Council of Ministers.

This pivotal assembly brought together high-ranking delegations from the relevant ministries and agencies of ECO member countries, ECO Specialized Agencies, Regional Institutes and Affiliated Bodies, as well as the Turkish Cypriot State as an ECO observer. President ECOSF Prof. Komail Tayebi attended the meeting physically whereas, other Members from ECOSF participated virtually to discuss and approve the organization’s annual work program for 2025.

The ECO Secretary General, H.E. Dr. Asad M. Khan welcomed the participants and highlighted ECO’s key achievements over the past year and provided updates on major flagship initiatives, programs, and projects slated for 2025, marking the conclusion of ECO’s Vision 2025. He also emphasized the organization’s commitment to regional economic cooperation amid evolving global political and economic challenges.

Ambassador Ontalap Onalbayev of Kazakhstan, presiding over the opening session, acknowledged the progress made under Iran’s leadership and reiterated Kazakhstan’s dedication to strengthening regional economic ties. He identified trade, connectivity, green energy, and climate change as focal points during Kazakhstan’s tenure as ECO Chair. The meeting also set the stage for several significant ministerial gatherings throughout the year, culminating in the 17th ECO Summit scheduled for July 3-4, 2025, in Azerbaijan.

During the opening session, the President of ECOSF, Prof. Tayebi, delivered a statement. He highlighted that despite financial and budgetary constraints, ECOSF has continued its strong efforts to enhance Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) in the ECO region. He also provided updates on ECOSF’s collaboration with international organizations and regional scientific institutions to promote STI across the region.

Prof. Tayebi urged the ratifying member states, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, to fulfill their mandatory contributions to further strengthen the Foundation. Additionally, he called on member states that have not yet ratified the ECOSF Charter and its Additional Protocol to do so promptly in order to benefit from the Foundation’s programs and enable it to operate at full capacity. While reaffirming ECOSF’s commitment to promoting science, technology, innovation, and education through international partnerships, he encouraged member states to support these initiatives for enhanced regional connectivity and knowledge-based socio-economic development. In his final remarks, Prof. Tayebi expressed his sincere appreciation to the ECO Secretariat for their efforts in successfully organizing the 35th RPC Meeting.

During the meeting, a session on Specialized Agencies were also held. The session was Chaired by Türkiye and attended by Iran and Pakistan. The delegations of all three agencies led by their Presidents also attended. Prof. Seyed Komail Tayebi President ECOSF attended the session in person whereas, other team members of ECOSF attended virtually. During the session, the annual progress reports of the agencies were presented and discussed. The Annual Plans for year 2025 were also presented.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Council expressed gratitude to the ECO Secretary General and his team for their efforts in organizing the 35^th RPC meeting and preparing the necessary documents. The meeting ended with a vote of thanks to the Chair for overseeing the proceedings in a proactive, smooth, and efficient manner. Additionally, the Council recognized and appreciated the Chairmen of various Sectoral Committees for successfully carrying out their responsibilities.