January-June 2017 ECO Institute of Environmental Science and Technology Issue25-26 T

The Institute sent feasibility study and the first draft -26 of project to Member States in order to receive their rd feedbacks. 24 May 2017: Consultation meeting on 3 Conference on Wetlands Management and President’s Message The Pdf version of information of the workshop Engineering is available to download in following QR Codes: After 6 years of hard work, we The SOM was chaired by the Foreign Secretary rd The consultation meeting on 3 Conference on of Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry. The meeting hope to continue collaborating was attended by senior officials from Wetlands Management and Engineering held on with Member States more than , , , ,

Wednesday 24 may 2017 at the conference ever to combat environmental , Pakistan, , , room in the College of Environment. crises such as dust storms and and . The ECO The meeting was attended by president of the air pollution in the ECO region. Secretary General Halil Ibrahim Akca was also present, along with representatives of the ECO ECO-IEST, Dean of the College of We strongly believe that without active participation Environment, and number of faculty members specialized agencies and regional institutions. of all Member States as well as financial and Feasibility Study Project Plan in order to exchange information in the field of technical support of regional and international

restoration and engineering of wetlands, quality organizations we will not be able to achieve the of water and pollution of wetlands, biodiversity goals and objectives of the mandated projects. So and etc. we, at the ECO-IEST are open to any contribution

The conference will be organized jointly by the including professional/ academic and/ or College of Environment (CoE), Iran's administrative inputs which will enrich our strives Department of Environment (DoE) and the ECO for pursuing the environmental agenda of the Institute of Environmental Science and Economic Cooperation Organization. Technology (ECO-IEST). The 3rd Conference

on Wetlands Management and Engineering to be held on 9-10 October 2017 at the Targets of the ECO-IEST Professional training; International Conference Hall of the DoE in the Information and technology The SOM deliberated, inter alia, on issues such as Pardisan ECO Park, Tehran. sharing; the work plan of ECO, reports and Networking, scientific cooperation and resource recommendations emanating from sectoral mobilization; meetings, follow-up of the implementation of the CEPA. decision of the previous ministerial meetings as

well as preparation for 22nd COM and the 13th

About ECO ECO summit. The agenda for the 22nd ECO

Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) is an intergovernmental regional organisation established in 1985 by Iran, Pakistan and Turkey as the successor of Council of Ministers meeting, to be held on Regional Cooperation for Development (RCD) (1964-1979) for promoting economic, technical and cultural cooperation. Activities In 1992, ECO was expanded to include seven new members, namely: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Kazakhstan, February 28, 2017, was also finalized. Kyrgyz Republic, Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Republic of Uzbekistan. The ECO region is full of bright trading prospects. Despite its young age, ECO has developed into a thriving regional organisation with growing international The ECO secretary general presented a report stature. 27-28 February 2017: 22nd ECO Council of containing activities of the ECO since the 12th Ministers meeting (COM) held in Pakistan About ECO-IEST summit of the organization in the Republic of Following the proposal for establishment of a College of Environment to the ECO Ministerial Meeting (Istanbul, 2004), establishment of the ECO-IEST was adopted at the 3rd ECO Ministerial Meeting on Environment (Almaty, 2006). IEST was formally inaugurated in February 9th, 2011. The Senior Official’s Meeting (SOM) preceding the 22nd Azerbaijan. The SOM approved the ECO Vision The Institute organises training courses, consultation workshops, regional meetings, as well as facilitating networking and exchange of knowledge and Meeting of the Council of Ministers (COM) of the 2025. experiences. Conducting study programmes and development of regional projects are other activity fields of IEST. Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) hosted by the Islamic Republic of Pakistan was held on 26-27 February

ECO Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ECO-IEST) 2017 in . Standard Sq., Karaj, Iran (Islamic Republic of)

Tel/Fax: +98-26-32822266 Email: [email protected]

Website: www.eco-iest.org ECO-IEST Newsletter

ECO Institute of Environmental Science and Technology Issue 25-26 January-June 2017

T 6 April 2017: Representatives of Griffith

University visited ECO- IEST High level officials and representatives from the At the end of this meeting both sides expressed

On Thursday 6 April 2017, in order to expand their hope for further, deepen and widen ECO observers as well as regional and international organizations, government of China international cooperation, representatives of relationship in the widest range of environmental and United Nations also attended this event. Griffith University, Mr. Mohanad Bawaz, fields and exchange the experts and knowledge Regional Manager for Middle East and North between their institutions.

Africa of Australia and Dr. Ali El Hanandeh from The ECO secretary general presented a report 8 May 2017: ECO-IEST and ECO discussions on Griffith University of Australia had a visit to the containing activities of the ECO since the 12th upcoming events College of Environment (CoE) and ECO Institute summit of the organization in the Republic of of Environmental Science and Technology On Monday 8 May 2017, ECO-IEST and ECO The SOM agreed on the text of Islamabad Azerbaijan. Addressing the Summit, ECO (ECO-IEST). Secretariat had official meeting, the meeting was Declaration and recommended its approval by the Secretary General Halil IbrahimAkca in his speech attended by ECO Deputy Secretary General, Dr. COM. Islamabad Declaration 2017 contains the pointed out that ECO continues to implement Seyed Jalaleddin Alavi Sabzevari, Dr. Asghar salient points of cooperation among the members programmes and plans decided by its decision Mohammadi Fazel, and Dr. Sasan Rabieh, of ECO in the fields of connectivity, trade, making bodies. transport, energy, etc. President and Coordinator of the ECO-IEST, respectively. 1 March 2017: 13th ECO Summit was held in At this meeting both sides reviewed on draft

Islamabad project outline on “combating desertification with

a special emphasis on dust haze and sand storm in th The 13 ECO Summit was held on 1 March 2017 the ECO region”. in Islamabad, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. At the beginning of the meeting the both parties During this meeting decided that the Institute in Heads of State and Government and high level had a brief review on previous discussions and collaboration with ECO secretariat to organize a officials from the 10 ECO Member States also had ways and means to evaluate their Consultation workshop on Combating including Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, potential collaborations with both institutions. Desertification on 5-6 July 2017 in Tehran. Iran, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and He said trade, transport and energy are the core Uzbekistan besides a special representative from Then Dr. Ali El Hanandeh, presented a short It was also decided that The Institute provide the areas being focused by the organization. China attended the Meeting hosted and chaired by introduction to the Griffith University, its first draft of project, Feasibility study and the H.E. Muhammad , Prime Minister of different academic groups and faculties, student Workshop Plan. Special emphasis has been given to corridors the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. body, research and training facilities, which will provide access to the ECO landlocked 11 May 2017: ECO-IEST opened registration for countries, noting tourism has been prioritized as international partnership and experts exchange programmes and some area of collaborations Consultation Workshop on ECO Desertification the priority area in the ECO Vision, he added. especially on various issues of climate change Project: The SOM approved the ECO Vision 2025 and the and the environment. Vision document outlines tangible goals for the According to the meeting on 8 May 2017 at the organization in various areas of cooperation, ECO Secretariat, IEST opened a registration for Consultation Workshop on ECO Desertification including trade and transit in the medium term. Project, and invited the experts from interested Member States to share their data and information

on the situation of land degradation and biodiversity conservation in the ECO Region. The workshop will be held from 5 to 6 July 2017 at the

Secretariat in Tehran.

ECO-IEST Newsletter ECO-IEST Newsletter

The leaders of participating countries, during their