BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 1. The 17th Summit of
the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) will be held in
Khankendi on July 3-4, 2025. The central focus of the summit will
be on forming a common approach among member states toward ensuring
a sustainable and climate-resilient future for the region.
Alongside this broad strategic agenda, the summit will also focus
on practical areas of cooperation – developing transport and energy
connectivity, expanding trade flows, and strengthening Central
Asia’s role as a key link between East and West.
Central Asia remains one of ECO’s primary areas of focus.
Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, as the region’s largest economies, play
a leading role in shaping the architecture of cooperation within
the organization. These countries are central to initiatives in
transport, industrial cooperation, energy, and food security.
ECO Secretary General Asad Majeed Khan emphasized in an
interview with Trend that the organization places high priority on
developing transport and communication infrastructure that supports
both intra-regional links and access to global markets. He noted
that this includes the creation of integrated transportation
networks – road, rail, maritime, and air – as well as the
digitalization of border procedures.
Kazakhstan, which holds the ECO chairmanship in 2025, has
launched several projects focused on digitalization and export
administration. The country is introducing electronic certification
systems, including for agricultural products, aimed at facilitating
exports via the Caspian and the Caucasus.
A notable example of industrial cooperation is the creation of
the Central Asia International Center for Industrial Cooperation, a
joint Kazakh-Uzbek initiative. The center is developing as a
platform for industrial assembly, logistics, and engagement with
third countries in the region.
Uzbekistan, in turn, is actively advancing the idea of a
regional food platform within the ECO framework. This initiative
aims to coordinate the supply of key agricultural products – such
as wheat, cotton, and vegetables – and to create buffer reserves to
reduce dependence on external suppliers and stabilize prices. Joint
grain and fruit-vegetable clusters are already being implemented,
along with processing projects.
According to the ECO Secretary General, a top priority for the
organization remains the development of the East-West transport
corridor, including the Trans-Asian Railway. He also highlighted
the advancement of the Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul (ITI) route, which
is reducing delivery times and costs while expanding trade
opportunities for member states.
Special attention is being given to the Middle Corridor, which
runs through Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, and Azerbaijan toward
Europe. ECO is supporting the harmonization of procedures and
technical standards, digital integration of transport platforms,
and the development of multimodal logistics hubs in cities such as
Aktobe, Aktau, and Turkestan.
The region’s transit potential requires comprehensive solutions,
particularly for landlocked countries. In this context, the Middle
Corridor is seen not only as a transit route but also as a tool for
industrial and infrastructure integration. Key projects include the
construction of joint logistics parks on the Kazakhstan–Uzbekistan
border with links to Azerbaijan’s Port of Alat.
ECO is also implementing a regional program for energy
connectivity. Launched in 2024 with the support of the United
Nations, the initiative aims to create a unified electricity trade
space among Central Asian countries, with the prospect of
integration into South Asian and Iranian energy markets.
Another major focus is the Green Energy Corridor, developed
jointly by Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Azerbaijan. In December
2024, the three countries signed an agreement to establish an
alliance to coordinate the construction of infrastructure for
exporting renewable energy from Central Asia to Europe, including
plans for laying a subsea cable across the Caspian Sea. This
initiative is of strategic importance, offering the region a path
to integration into global clean energy value chains.
In addition, ECO coordinates member states’ participation in the
development of climate-related mechanisms, including green finance
tools and carbon neutrality programs, within the post-COP29
framework. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have already joined several
initiatives aimed at the environmental transformation of their
economies.
The decision to hold the 17th ECO Summit in Azerbaijan reflects
the country’s growing significance in the region’s transport,
energy, and environmental agenda. All key routes connecting Central
Asia with Europe – such as the Middle Corridor – pass through
Azerbaijani territory, as do export supply chains for agricultural
goods, construction materials, and energy.
Moreover, Azerbaijan has emerged as a driving force behind
climate discussions within ECO. Its presidency of COP29 has helped
to elevate the dialogue on sustainable development and carbon
neutrality. One anticipated outcome of these efforts is the
possible creation of a regional climate resilience center,
potentially to be based in Baku.
Hosting the summit in Khankendi adds symbolic weight to the
formation of a new regional agenda, where Central Asia and
Azerbaijan are becoming central elements of trans-Eurasian
integration. The expansion of digital trade, the development of
infrastructure and energy cooperation, and the strengthening of
climate initiatives are turning ECO into a platform with real,
practical relevance in a rapidly changing global economy.
