Mashhad, December 4, 2024 – The Europe Today: Azerbaijan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jeyhun Bayramov, delivered a keynote speech at the 28th meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) during his working visit to Mashhad, Iran, News Hub Consultants reports.
In his address, Bayramov emphasized Azerbaijan’s commitment to strengthening cooperation within the ECO framework, particularly in institutional development, economic and trade relations, energy security, environmental protection, transportation, and regional connectivity. He highlighted the significance of the meeting in advancing the Organization’s agenda and reviewing progress since the ECO gathering in Shusha on October 10, 2023.
Bayramov expressed gratitude to Iran for its leadership as the 2024 ECO Chair and its organization of the 28th Foreign Ministers’ meeting. He extended his best wishes to Kazakhstan, which will assume the chairmanship in 2025, and reiterated Azerbaijan’s readiness to host the ECO Summit next year, calling for active participation from all member states.
He underscored the relevance of the “ECO Vision 2025” strategy, which aims to harness the economic potential of member countries while addressing regional challenges. He also highlighted the role of specialized ECO institutions, including the ECO Research Center and Clean Energy Center, in promoting cooperation in trade, investment, energy security, and environmental sustainability.
Bayramov further discussed key regional transport initiatives, such as the North-South Corridor, the East-West Trans-Caspian Middle Corridor, and the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway modernization. He also pointed to significant infrastructure projects connecting Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic with the East Zangezur economic region through Iran, which are poised to enhance regional connectivity.
Addressing recent climate initiatives, Bayramov shared the achievements of COP29, hosted by Azerbaijan in November, particularly the adoption of the Baku Financial Goal, a landmark agreement in combating climate change. He highlighted the “Agreement on Strategic Partnership in the Field of Development and Transmission of Green Energy” signed at COP29, which is expected to bolster regional economic growth and energy security.
The meeting concluded with the adoption of the Mashhad Communiqué, a comprehensive document outlining the outcomes of the discussions and reaffirming the member states’ commitment to collaborative development and regional stability.
