ISLAMABAD: All eyes were on Islamabad on Tuesday as leaders from regional countries were given a traditional Pakistani welcome with a 21-gun salute, senior dignitaries welcoming them at the Nur Khan Air Base and later driving to the capital where all roads are bedecked with spring flowers and huge billboards with portraits of the guests.

Already in town are President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Sooronbay Jeenbekov and Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon.

As the Economic Cooperation Organisation’s 13th Summit meeting gets off today (Wednesday), representatives heads of state and government arrive from a region “that stretches from the Himalayas in the East to the West of Dardanelles and from the Arabian Sea in the South to Russian Urals and Siberia in the North”.

Pakistan hopes that the summit will go a long way to provide the potential for progress, prosperity and development of its 450 million people. “The long-term prospects of ECO depend on renewing the necessary political will of all member states and to find common ground in promoting effective regional cooperation and on establishment of efficient and effective institutions that can transfer actual benefits to all member states,” said Adviser on Foreign Policy Sartaj Aziz while addressing the Council of ECO Ministers.

The summit was preceded by a meeting of senior officials and the Council of Foreign Ministers. Highlight of the Summit will be Pakistan through Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif assuming office of the chairman of ECO and the adoption of the Islamabad Declaration.

Missing will be the leadership of Afghanistan who will not be missed greatly, but will itself miss a unique opportunity to sit across the table with leaders as they deliberated on “Connectivity for Regional Prosperity”. Sulking by itself in Kabul, the Afghan leadership will also miss a chance to hold meetings on the sidelines of its important neighbours including Pakistan with which it is going through daily tensions. With corruption at a height and infighting within the government rendering it non-governable, while laying all its problems on Pakistan, Afghanistan should cease taking dictation from those who want Pakistan to be isolated and instead take a reality check.

“Global peace, stability and prosperity cannot be achieved in silos in the inter-connected world of today. Our region is faced with a number of challenges including extremism, terrorism, drug-trafficking and trans-national organised crime. Similarly, natural disasters and environmental hazards are putting extra strain on economic progress of the states. Therefore, innovative approaches and concerted efforts would be required for the socio-economic and human development of our peoples,” Sartaj Aziz told the Council of Foreign Ministers.

Pakistan will also showcase the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) at a time when many of the ECO leaders have expressed interest in joining it, especially Iran and Turkey.

“Pakistan firmly believes that ECO has the potential to bring economic prosperity and progress to the region. We remain strongly committed to our common goal to raise the quality of life of the people of the ECO region through greater connectivity, expansion of intra and inter regional trade, and removal of trade barriers,” stated Sartaj Aziz.

Some of the areas that ECO needs to focus on he added were: “First, the trade figures of ECO reflect a dismal picture of a region that is one of the least integrated in the world, operating far below its potential as compared to regional blocs such as Asean and Nafta. The implementation of ECO Trade Agreement (ECOTA) is essential in order to remove the existing trade and non-trade barriers and establishment of a Free Trade Area in the ECO region. Although ECOTA entered into force in 2008, some member states still have reservations on some aspect which, I hope, we can address without delay.”

He also pointed to the lack of regional connectivity and integration of infrastructure is one of the major impediments. Also important is the ongoing work of the technical committees on road, railway, insurance, transit trade and legal issues, working under the umbrella of the ECO Transit Transport Framework Agreement (ECO-TTFA).

“We have to identify and remove major barriers hampering smooth movement of goods across the region,” he suggested. Also, for efficient movement of goods, the member states need to focus on the corridor-based approach for greater connectivity between different corridors, where feasible.

“Finally, there is a need to focus attention on ECO’s specialised agencies, associations and affiliated bodies which can complement the activities of our organisations and promote greater economic and cultural integration,” he said.

Meanwhile, terming countries of the ECO as ‘ECO region’, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif envisaged that it would develop into a “key regional economic bloc” very soon. The prime minister was speaking in a video message for the first time to welcome the guests for the ECO’s 13th Summit. “I am confident that very soon ECO will develop into a key regional economic bloc,” he said.

The prime minister in his brief message said that it is a privilege for Pakistan to host the 13th ECO Summit and he would like to extend a very warm welcome to all honourable guests to his beautiful country.

Nawaz reminded that the summit’s theme “Connectivity for Regional Prosperity” represents our collective vision to build ECO into a community of shared prosperity through greater economic integration and close people-to-people contact. The participation of high-level leadership from all ten members of ECO makes this summit a significant milestone. The event also marks the 25th anniversary of the joining of ECO by seven new members in 1992.

“The occasion inspires us to redouble our efforts to achieve the aims and objectives of the organisation for the benefit and welfare of all our people,” he said. Surely, he said, the Islamabad Declaration, to be adopted at the summit, will reflect the joint aspirations of the people of the region.

“I have firm conviction that expanded connectivity, enhanced trade and deeper economic cooperation would transform our region into a bastion of progress, prosperity and peace,” he said. He reminded that the ECO states are the proud custodians of the Silk Road legacy; and inspired by the Silk Road’s spirit of openness, Pakistan would be more than happy to provide ECO states connectivity through its ports.

The prime minister said the ECO region is endowed with abundant energy resources, minerals, agriculture, industry and dynamic human capital. “Our common cultural and historical heritage is an even more valuable asset. Synergising our strengths, we can soon change our region’s destiny. The way forward for us has been laid out in ECO Vision 2025 in the form of pragmatic and tangible organisational targets,” he said.

Earlier, talking to ECO Secretary General Halil Ibrahim Akca, Nawaz emphasised Pakistan’s commitments to achieve ECO objectives, as envisioned in the ECO Charter.

The secretary general called on the premier at the Prime Minister House. Nawaz expressed the hope that the outcomes of the summit in the form of the Islamabad Declaration and ECO Vision 2025 would further enhance regional integration, connectivity and help advance economic prosperity in the region.

The prime minister appreciated the secretary general and his team for their preparatory work for the summit. The ECO secretary general thanked the prime minister for hosting the summit and for the excellent arrangements. He appreciated Nawaz Sharif’s vision for regional connectivity and greater regional integration. He reaffirmed the role of the ECO secretariat for fully implementing ECO initiatives and moving the organisation forward for the benefit of its member states.

The prime minister underscored the enormous potential of the ECO region. He referred to the commonality of interests, common cultural heritage and geographical proximity of ECO countries.

While talking to executive vice Foreign Minister of China Yesui Zhang, Nawaz welcomed his participation as a representative of the Chinese government in the ECO summit on special invitation. Warmly welcoming the minister, the prime minister appreciated China’s diplomatic and material support to Pakistan in its fight against terrorism.

“Pakistan and China are iron brothers and friendship with China is the cornerstone of our foreign policy,” said the prime minister. He expressed his gratitude to the leadership and brotherly Chinese people for their all-weather support that is getting stronger with each passing day. He said CPEC is a game changer that is going to transform the lives of the billions of people of the region.

“I look forward to my visit to China in May 2017 to participate in the ‘Belt and Road Forum’ for International Cooperation (BRF) at the invitation of President Xi Jinping,” the premier said.