Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is in Baku, Azerbaijan, to participate in the two-day 17th Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Summit, which begins today. Themed “New ECO Vision for a Sustainable and Climate Resilient Future,” the summit brings together leaders from ECO member states to discuss key regional and global challenges.
Leading the Pakistani delegation, Prime Minister Shehbaz will outline Pakistan’s stance on regional cooperation, emphasizing the need for enhanced intra-regional trade, improved transport connectivity, energy collaboration, and sustainable development. He is expected to reaffirm Pakistan’s full support for the ECO Vision 2025.
Also Read: PM Shehbaz Welcomes Bloomberg Report Praising Pakistan’s Economic Recovery
On the sidelines of the summit, the Prime Minister will also hold bilateral meetings with fellow ECO leaders to strengthen ties and explore avenues for joint progress on shared interests.
Pakistan continues to highlight its vulnerability to the global climate crisis, despite contributing less than one percent to global carbon emissions. From rising temperatures and unpredictable rainfall to rapidly melting glaciers, the country faces a range of climate-related threats to food security, public health, and its economy.
The 2022 floods served as a stark reminder of Pakistan’s climate fragility, impacting over 33 million people, displacing more than eight million, and causing an estimated $30 billion in combined damages and economic losses. The Prime Minister is expected to use the summit platform to urge collective action from regional partners to build a resilient future.
