The 16h summit of the leaders of the member countries of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) took place in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. However, Afghanistan’s seat at this summit remained vacant, with no representative from Kabul being invited to attend.
On Thursday, leaders from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan gathered for this meeting.
The focal point of this meeting revolves around discussions on economic cooperation, investment, and transportation in the region.
Shirzad Asadov, the head of the Office of the President of Uzbekistan, told the media in his country that Afghanistan is a member of the ECO organization but has yet to be invited to this meeting due to political developments in 2021.
The ECO organization was established in 1984 to promote economic cooperation in the region by Turkey, Pakistan, and Iran.
The head of the Office of the President of Uzbekistan added that the Taliban’s participation will be practical if there is consensus among the members of this organization and the current administration of Afghanistan is recognized by the international community.
This summit underscores the importance of regional economic collaboration and the evolving political landscape in the region, particularly regarding Afghanistan’s role in regional organizations like ECO.
