International Organization

International Organization

The Role of Regional Organizations in Mitigating Regional Challenges: A Case Study of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO)

Authors
1 Assistant Professor, Department of Political Geography, Faculty of Humanities, Najafabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Najafabad, Iran.
2 PhD student in Political Geography, Faculty of Humanities, Najafabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Najafabad, Iran.
Abstract
Following World War II, and particularly since the 1960s, countries have increasingly recognized the importance of international cooperation within the framework of regional organizations, making regional collaboration a growing priority. The development of cooperation through regional organizations has emerged as a strategy both for overcoming international crises and for enhancing the capacity of states to jointly address the emerging challenges of the contemporary world. Regionalism, while promoting economic collaboration, also fosters political and security convergence and can strengthen peace and stability in a region by offering peaceful solutions to existing or potential crises. The Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), which replaced the Regional Cooperation for Development (RCD) in 1984, was established under conditions conducive to regional cooperation with objectives such as promoting sustainable economic development among member states, expanding intra-regional and international trade, facilitating gradual integration into the global economy, enhancing the convergence of public sector activities, and strengthening tourism-related ties. The findings of this study suggest that regional organizations, particularly the ECO, have played a constructive role in reducing regional challenges and fostering member state convergence.
Keywords