Algorithm change: SCO meeting in Moscow gives new impetus to cooperation
A meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will open in Moscow on November 18 under the Russian chairmanship. The meeting is designed to give new dynamics to cooperation within the association and consolidate the decisions taken by the leaders of the countries at the level of heads of state, Secretary General of the organization Nurlan Yermekbayev emphasized in an interview with Izvestia. According to him, the Russian side has traditionally ensured a systematic and consistent chairmanship, which makes it possible to maintain the continuity and stability of the SCO mechanisms. The organization, which today unites about 60% of the territory of Eurasia and more than 3.4 billion people, continues to expand its presence in the world.
The SCO Secretary General named the landmarks of the association
A regular meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the SCO member States will open in Moscow on November 18 under the chairmanship of the Russian side. All the countries of the association will take part in the event at the level of prime ministers, their deputies or foreign ministers, Secretary General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Nurlan Yermekbayev told Izvestia.
According to the Secretary General of the organization, high-ranking representatives of Bahrain, Egypt, Qatar, Kuwait, Mongolia, Turkmenistan, as well as heads of executive bodies of a number of international organizations have also been invited.
— Russia has extensive experience in chairing the SCO at the governmental level, traditionally approaching this responsible mission systematically and consistently. Of course, this helps to ensure the continuity and stability of the functioning of the organization's mechanisms," said Nurlan Yermekbayev.
The importance of the Moscow meeting is also confirmed by the bilateral contacts that take place on its sidelines. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has already met with Chinese Prime Ministers Li Qiang, Mongolia's Gombozhavin Zandanshatar and Iran's First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref, who arrived in Moscow to participate in the work of the SCO Council of Heads of Government. Following the meeting, it is planned to sign a joint communique.
Nurlan Yermekbayev noted that strengthening practical cooperation in the economy, trade and humanitarian spheres remains a priority for the SCO countries. According to him, a rich agenda has been formed reflecting the current priorities of the economic development of the participating countries.
— The upcoming meeting will focus on the implementation of decisions taken at the level of the leaders of our countries, including at the summit in Tianjin on September 1 this year. I am convinced that the results of the meeting will fill the cooperation with additional practical content. This will strengthen the long—term stability of the region's economies and open up new opportunities for effective cooperation between the SCO member states," the Secretary General said.
The summit, held in Tianjin, brought together leaders of more than 20 countries and representatives of international organizations. As a result, 15 new documents were signed, and the key moment was the adoption of the Tianjin Declaration. The creation of a specialized development bank, the opening of new centers for countering security threats and the approval of the strategy for 2026-2035 indicate the desire of the SCO member states to transform the SCO from a predominantly advisory structure into a full-fledged platform with specific cooperation tools.
According to Alexander Korolev, Deputy Director of the Central Research Institute of Higher School of Economics, the most promising areas of cooperation within the SCO today are energy, food security and the development of financial and digital infrastructure.
In the energy sector, the potential is associated not only with traditional resources, but also with the growth of projects in the field of "green" energy and low-carbon fuels, the expert believes. According to Korolev, the organization represents both the largest energy exporters, such as Russia and China, and importing countries, which creates the basis for long-term cooperation.
SCO Expansion
A separate section is devoted to the development of the organization itself. The Secretary General recalled that Belarus' accession to the SCO in 2024 was a significant step in expanding the association, which was originally created as an open platform for states sharing the principles of the "Shanghai spirit."
— In accordance with established practice, the SCO presidency changes with the completion of the rotation cycle upon the accession of new member states. Thus, the Republic of Belarus, having become a full member of the SCO in 2024, has already been included in the list of the organization's chairmanship. Minsk will participate in the relay of chairmanship, which will begin in the Council of Heads of Government in 2028, and in the Council of Heads of State in 2030," Nurlan Yermekbayev explained.
The head of the Arab League's representative office in Russia, Walid Hamid Shiltag, previously told Izvestia that the Arab states expect to play a more prominent role in the work of the SCO. According to him, deepening cooperation with the association opens up new channels of international diplomacy and additional economic opportunities for the countries of the Middle East, primarily due to the scale and versatility of cooperation within the organization.
The SCO itself confirms that it is committed to expanding contacts with the Arab world. Ahmad Saidmurodzoda, Deputy Secretary General of the association, noted that the organization sees potential in forming a sustainable partnership with the Arab League, including in responding to challenges related to climate change. The first step in this direction was the meeting of representatives of the SCO and the Arab League on sustainable energy, which took place on October 3 in Astana, within the framework of Kazakhstan Energy Week. It became the largest event of this format and highlighted the mutual interest of the parties in the topic of "green transition" and long-term cooperation.
The interest of the states of the Middle East in cooperation with the SCO is growing as the organization continues to expand and strengthen its influence. Founded in 2001 by six countries — Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan — it has gone through several stages of growth. In 2017, India and Pakistan joined the association, Iran became a member in 2023, and Belarus in 2024. At the level of dialogue partners, the structure has also become closer to the Arab region: Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have received the status, and Algeria has submitted an application.
— The ongoing processes also indicate the strengthening of the role of the SCO itself. After the last summit in Tianjin, many States realized more and more clearly that the organization is developing not only as a structure focused on political issues and security, as it was perceived before. The SCO is gradually turning into a humanitarian platform that is attractive for discussing a wide range of significant topics," said Alexander Korolev.
Today, the SCO unites states with more than 3.4 billion people, almost half of the world's population. The organization covers about 60% of the territory of Eurasia, and the total GDP of its members exceeds $23 trillion. Such parameters, it is emphasized in the countries of the region, make the SCO one of the key centers of attraction for the states of the world, including Arab countries seeking to strengthen economic ties and more active participation in international processes.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
