Economic Cooperation Organization
Tehran, Iran
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation (English Economic Cooperation Organization, ECO short ) was founded in 1985 by Iran, Pakistan and Turkey with the basic idea to create a kind of free trade zone.
It is a successor to the Organisation Regional Cooperation for Development (RCD of Regional Cooperation for Development), who was from 1964 to 1979. The ECO, meanwhile, has added seven new members: Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
The ECO is based in Tehran ( Iran). Its current Secretary-General is Abdullah Gul of Turkey.
Organization / institutions
The ECO is headed by a Coordinating Council of Foreign Ministers, which meets annually. Four committees are responsible for co-operation in the fields of economy and infrastructure, technology and industry, agriculture, education and science.
History
1988, a common postal organization was founded ( the South and West Asia Postal Union ), 1990 then a joint industry and commerce. In 1991 the members of the ECO signed a protocol on preferential duties. 1992 ECO Investment Bank and a cultural organization were founded. In addition, the ECO strives for a customs union.
Member States
The ECO currently has ten member states:
- Iran Iran
- Pakistan Pakistan
- Turkey Turkey
- Afghanistan Afghanistan
- Azerbaijan
- Kazakhstan
- Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan
- Tajikistan Tajikistan
- Turkmenistan Turkmenistan
- Uzbekistan Uzbekistan