Two decades strong: IRU and ECO look to the future

IRU and the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) have reaffirmed their commitment to closer cooperation on road transport, digitalisation and trade facilitation across the ECO region.

In their first meeting, new IRU Secretary General Habib Turki and ECO Secretary General Dr Asad Khan discussed the two organisations' two-decade-long partnership and opportunities ahead.

The ECO region is the leading user of the TIR system, accounting for over 70% of TIR carnets issued globally. The three largest TIR carnet-issuing countries - Uzbekistan, Iran and Türkiye - are all ECO members. This makes the region central to the continued development of secure, efficient and digitally connected international road transport.

ECO countries have also been at the forefront of eTIR implementation. Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan were the first countries to test eTIR in practice, with Kazakhstan and Türkiye preparing to follow.

Expanding eTIR implementation across the region is essential to creating continuous, gap-free digital corridors. This will allow goods to move more seamlessly across borders and prevent delays and inefficiencies arising when digital processes stop at national borders.

IRU stands ready to support ECO and its member states in advancing eTIR and broader trade facilitation priorities.

Dr Khan underlined the importance of private sector input in shaping effective transport and transit policies - a principle that has guided IRU's engagement with the region for over two decades. The two organisations have jointly established the ECO-TIR Associations Consultative Group, known as ECO-TIRACG, to channel private sector expertise into ECO's decision-making processes.

Looking ahead to Astana

Habib Turki will participate in the 14th ECO Transport Ministerial Meeting in Astana, Kazakhstan, on 14-15 October 2026, which brings together transport ministers from across the region to exchange views on measures to improve regional connectivity and transit.

The meeting, taking place alongside the New Silk Way Transport and Logistics Forum, will provide an opportunity to strengthen cooperation between IRU, ECO and its member states.

Discussions will focus on shared priorities, including regional connectivity, transport digitalisation and trade facilitation.

A partnership spanning more than 20 years

IRU and ECO have developed a close partnership over more than two decades.

It has since been continuously reinforced through a series of joint initiatives, including the development of strategic corridors, such as the key Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Iran-Türkiye corridor, the Tajikistan-Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Iran-Türkiye corridor, and Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul corridor.

IRU regularly participates in ECO events and contributes to policy discussions on road transport and trade facilitation.

Photo courtesy of Trend News Agency