The topic was raised by the Turkmen leader at the 14th summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization.
President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov took part in the 14th summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization online on March 4. The head of the state outlined the main directions of the chairmanship of the country in the ECO this year. It was reported by the state news agency «Turkmenistan Today».
Berdimuhamedov described the work of the organization as intensive and effective within regional interaction. According to him, the main task of the ECO today is to ensure the sustainable development of the participating countries with help of economic resources.
The President of Turkmenistan proposed to create economic routes in the relevant region, expand industrial cooperation, as well as consolidate production and technological potential. Particular attention was paid to the implementation of large infrastructure projects.
The Turkmen leader said that the transport and communication sphere will play a key role in achieving the development goals of the member states in the field of the national economy.
Berdimuhamedov reminded that in January this year, the Akina-Andkhoy railway road, modern international fiber-optic communication lines from Turkmenistan to Afghanistan, and the Kerki-Shibergan power line were launched.
The President called on the leaders of the corresponding countries to focus on creating combined transit transport corridors in the East-West direction from the Asia-Pacific region to Europe and the Middle East. Particular attention was paid to the importance of strengthening ties in the Caspian region, getting access to the ports of the Black and Baltic Seas for ECO member states.
The leader of Turkmenistan also underlined the prospects for creating energy clusters in the territory of the Economic Cooperation Organization. In this regard, he marked the importance of laying the TAPI gas pipeline, the implementation of projects for the supply of electric energy in the directions of Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan-Tajikistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan and Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan.
The head of the state noted that this year it is worth paying special attention to the interaction of the ECO with the SCO, the EEC, and the CIS, cooperation between countries in the field of science and medicine, in particular in the sphere of combating the coronavirus pandemic.
At the end of the speech, Berdimuhamedov proposed to hold the next ECO summit in the capital of Turkmenistan on November 28 this year.
It must be added that Turkmenistan became a member of the Economic Cooperation Organization in 1992. At the moment, this structure also includes Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan. The ECO was chaired by the Republic of Turkey in 2020.
