Regional
Planning Council (RPC) is the main technical planning body within ECO which
comprises of Head of Planning organizations of the member states as well as
officials and experts from the national sectoral ministries and agencies. The
28th annual meeting of Regional Planning Council was co-chaired by Federal
Minister Mr. Ahsan Iqbal and Secretary General ECO Mr. Halil Ibrahim Akca to
review the progress of implementation of the ECO approved projects and
consideration of proposals for new projects of the year 2018 which includes
trade, investments, transport, communications, energy, minerals, environment,
agriculture, industry, tourism, economic research statistics, human resource,
drugs and organized crime coordination, ECO regional institutions and
International relations. The agenda item will be addressed in eight committees.
The committee will deliberate and develop the ECO sectoral work programme for
the year to come as well as the ECO calendar of events for 2018. In addition,
the RPC will draft ECO advocacy policy for Afghanistan.
“Economic and
environmental challenges are becoming regional and global” said Mr. Ahsan Iqbal
while addressing to the 28th meeting of Regional Planning Council of ECO
countries.
He said that
world is becoming more integrated and connected, therefore it requires
cooperation and not confrontation. The possibility of global partnership is
huge in the contemporary world due to advances in technology and communication
infrastructure. The need for physical presence is increasingly becoming less
important with cyber connectivity. We must take advantage of the forums like
ECO to foster regional cooperation for collective prosperity, peace and
stability in our region and member states.
Federal
Minister Ahsan Iqbal further said that we stand at the threshold of fourth
Industrial revolution. New technologies are going to completely change the paradigms
of human development in economic fields. We have to align ourselves with the
emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, bio technology, robotics,
automation, big data and cloud computing that are the new emerging faces of the
economy. He maintained we have to be proactive to understand how the fourth
industrial revolution is going to impact the economy of the emerging countries
in the world and how we can embrace the change.
Mr. Ahsan
Iqbal said that Asia has become the continent of economic growth. It is
estimated that by 2050, Asia will account for more than 50% of the world’s GDP.
He said that located at the crossroads of important regions, the ECO region has
both the potential and capacity to function as a bridge between North and South,
Europe and Asia.
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Its favorable
geo-economic location can be better utilized for the development and prosperity
of the region. Development of transport and communication infrastructure,
facilitation of trade & investment & effective use of the region’s vast
energy among ECO member states are important sectoral priorities of the ECO for
development & growth in the region.
While
highlighting the threat of climate change he said it’s impacting each one of
us. The greenhouse emissions have increased manifolds bringing major changes in
weather and climate of the world presenting us grave challenges to address.
Minister
Ahsan Iqbal stressed upon cooperation for ensuring maintenance of peace and
stability in the region as peace was never in danger than it is today. We have
to collaborate on how we can preserve peace not only in member states but also
in the region. Moreover, Pakistan has always played an active role to ensure
regional integration and interdependence amongst the member states. We support
ECO’s agendas and initiatives and have always encouraged further enhancing the
current steady progress. Today we face challenges of extremism and terrorism
which is becoming a global menace as crime and terror are forming global
networks which require collective action on part of member states.
Minister
Ahsan Iqbal highlighted the importance of Vision2025 as a great roadmap for
making the ECO forum successful as it will enable to meet the goals that have
been set by the member states of the forum. The Asian region is blessed with
rich heritage which opens doors for enhancing tourism not only within the
region but we can also attract large number of tourists from the global market.
In order to make a peaceful and stable world Minister said we need to make sure
that no one is left behind. Each citizen of the world should have better access
to the opportunities of health, education food, and security in life.
Minister
Ahsan Iqbal expressed good wishes for the ECO gathering with prolific
discussions and an outcome document which could be remembered as a right step
towards a better and more prosperous future of the people and meaningful
cooperation.
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