During a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Astana, Kazakhstan on July 4, the leaders of the SCO member states accepted Belarus as a new member of the Eurasian political and security bloc founded by China and Russia in 2001.
With the addition of Belarus, the SCO membership has now expanded from originally six (China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan) to 10 countries, including India and Pakistan, which joined in 2017, and Iran, which became a member in 2023.
President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev chaired the meeting and expressed confidence that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has exceptional opportunities to act as a guarantor of peace and security throughout the Eurasian continent.
The Kazakh leader also emphasized that strengthening transport connectivity by creating efficient corridors and reliable supply chains is an important area of cooperation between the SCO member states.
“We attach exceptional importance to the further synergy of the Chinese Belt and Road mega-project, the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, and trans-Eurasian corridors in the North-South direction, including the Central Asia – South Asia vector. To implement these plans, it is important to take practical measures to create a Partnership Network of Strategic Ports and Logistics Centers within the SCO,” Tokayev said.
Following the meeting, the leaders signed the Astana Declaration of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
The leaders also signed a package of other documents: the Council’s decisions approving the draft Development Strategy of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization until 2035, the SCO Initiative on World Unity for Just Peace and Harmony, the Program of Cooperation of the SCO Member States in Countering Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism for 2025−2027, the SCO Anti-Drug Strategy for 2024−2029, and the Strategy for the Development of Energy Cooperation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Member States until 2030.
In addition, they signed decisions on the Association of Investors of the SCO member states, on the approval of the Program for the development of cooperation between the SCO member states in the field of protected natural areas and eco-tourism, and on declaring the city of Qingdao (China) the SCO tourist and cultural capital in 2024-2025.
Photo: president.uz
