The ECO Secretariat convened the first Board of Governors meeting of the Clean Energy Centre (CECECO) this week, marking a historic milestone in the region’s clean energy transition. The meeting brought together representatives of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Member States, international partners, and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

Delegates congratulated ECO for the establishment of CECECO, noting that the Charter of the centre has come into force, and expressed appreciation to the Government of Azerbaijan for hosting the Centre and for its leadership in advancing the regional clean energy agenda.

A key highlight of the meeting was the appointment of Ms. Aysel Yagubova [3] as the first Executive Director of CECECO. Ms. Yagubova had been serving as Interim Director since May 2025 and officially assumed her role as Executive Director on 9 September 2025. With an extensive diplomatic career and strong expertise in international cooperation, Ms. Yagubova will lead the Centre through its formative years, building partnerships and positioning CECECO as a regional hub for renewable energy and energy efficiency.

The meeting was attended by senior representatives of ECO Member States and partners, including:

• Mr. Parviz Shahbazov, Minister of Energy of the Republic of Azerbaijan
• Mr. Sungat Yessimkhanov, Deputy Minister of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan
• Ms. Nazgul Usenova, Deputy Minister of Energy of the Kyrgyz Republic
• Mr. Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari, Federal Minister for Energy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
• Mr. Zafer Demircan, Deputy Minister of Energy of the Republic of Türkiye
• Mr. Umid Mamadaminov, Deputy Minister of Energy of Uzbekistan
• Mr. Asad M. Khan, Secretary General of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO)
• Mr. Martin Lugmayr, Coordinator of the Global Network of Regional Sustainable Energy Centres (GN-SEC), UNIDO

UNIDO reaffirmed its commitment to accompany CECECO during its initial operational phase through technical assistance, mentorship, and resource mobilisation. CECECO will be embedded in the Global Network of Regional Sustainable Energy Centres (GN-SEC), established by UNIDO over the past 15 years, which now comprises ten centres worldwide promoting South-South and triangular cooperation.

Delegates also underlined CECECO’s central role in fostering integrated renewable energy and energy efficiency markets, supporting industrial decarbonisation, and contributing to the implementation of the COP29 Green Energy Pledge on Green Energy Zones and Corridors. The Centre was recognised as a key enabler of peace, security, and climate resilience in the ECO region.

The meeting concluded with an invitation to all partners to showcase CECECO’s achievements at the Vienna Energy and Climate Forum in April 2026, underlining the Centre’s growing role in global dialogue on sustainable energy and industrial development.