From November 24 to 26, 2025, the 5th meeting of the Organization for Economic Cooperation (ECO) took place in Istanbul, as reported by the Ministry of Economy of the Kyrgyz Republic. The event aimed to strengthen economic integration in the region and gathered ministers and diplomats from participating countries, including Turkey's Minister of Trade, Omer Bolat.
The Kyrgyz Republic was represented by the trade representative in Turkey, Chyngyz Esengul uulu, who outlined priorities and recommendations for the digitalization of trade, improving electronic data exchange, developing unified customs standards, and updating the ECOTA agreement considering current conditions.
During the three-day program, meetings of ministers and a session of a high-level expert group were held. Participants discussed deepening economic integration within the ECO framework, increasing the volume of intra-border trade, and expanding cooperation in trade and customs.
One of the key outcomes of this meeting was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Kyrgyzstan, Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey. This document aims to simplify customs procedures, improve information exchange, and expand digital solutions.
Additionally, participants decided to create a Technical Committee to begin negotiations on updating the ECOTA agreement in the first quarter of 2026 and approved a new roadmap for establishing a free trade zone within the ECO space.
