ECOEI was present during ECO Week within the framework of the 17th ECO Summit initiated by H.E. President Ilham Aliyev. The ECO Week included a series of thematic forums aimed at advancing youth engagement, gender inclusion and economic connectivity within the region.
The ECO Youth Forum with its thematic focus on “Enhancing the Role of Youth for Building a Sustainable and Climate-Resilient Future” was held in Aghdam on July 1, meanwhile the ECO Women Forum focused on “Enhancing the Role of Women for Building a Sustainable and Climate-Resilient Future”convened in Lachin on July 2, and the 6th Business Forum gathered business leaders and investors in Fuzuli on July 2, 2025, under the theme of “Investment and Trade Promotion as a Catalyst for Sustainable Development in the ECO Region.”
ECOEI was represented at both the ECO Youth Forum and the ECO Women Forum, where President Mehmet Akif Kireçci delivered keynote speeches. At the ECO Youth Forum, Mr. Kireçci spoke during the plenary panel titled “The Role of Youth in Regional Development,” and at the ECO Women Forum, he addressed the panel on “The Role of Women in Human Development for Climate Resilience.”
Ms. Ayşe Elif Yıldırım also served as one of the leads for the Working Group sessions at the ECO Youth Forum. She led the Working Group focused on the theme of Human Development and People-to-People Ties. These working groups formulated recommendations proposed by youth participants for inclusion in the Strategic Objectives of Economic Cooperation 2035.
