Former President of the RCD Students Association, Syed Jawaid Iqbal, has urged the governments of Pakistan, Iran and Turkey to revive the Regional Cooperation for Development (RCD) by expanding its membership to include Bangladesh, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman.
The RCD was established on 21 July 1964 in Istanbul by Pakistan, Iran and Turkey to promote regional cooperation and economic development. According to Iqbal, the changing geopolitical and economic landscape has made regional collaboration more important than ever.
Iqbal said the revival of the RCD has become even more important in view of India’s approach towards Pakistan which has rendered SAARC largely dysfunctional and unable to serve as a cohesive regional bloc. He said this has created the need for an alternative regional framework that can promote cooperation based on shared economic and strategic interests.
“It is time for Pakistan, Iran and Turkey to take the initiative and revive the RCD by bringing in new members that can contribute to regional connectivity, trade and economic growth,” he said.
Iqbal noted that the strategic importance of Pakistan’s Gwadar and Karachi ports has increased in light of recent developments in the region, including tensions involving Iran. He said these ports have the potential to serve as major regional trade and transit hubs, particularly if maritime routes in the Gulf face disruptions.
He also said that the security partnership between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia could play an important role in shaping the future security architecture of the Gulf and West Asia, creating greater opportunities for regional cooperation.
Referring to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Iqbal described it as an important platform for regional economic integration. He said the time has come to fully realise its potential by linking it with a broader framework of regional cooperation.
Iqbal stressed that an expanded and revitalised RCD could provide a practical platform for economic partnerships, infrastructure development, trade and people-to-people engagement across a wider region.
