Central Asia's role in SCO highlighted in Dushanbe
An international conference titled "Central Asia — The Core of the SCO: A Space for Peace and Joint Development" took place in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on Friday, a Qazinform New Agency correspondent reported from the event.
The forum brought together representatives of SCO member states, international organizations, and the expert and academic communities to discuss prospects for strengthening regional security, sustainable development, and multilateral cooperation.
In a video address to conference participants, SCO Secretary-General Nurlan Yermekbayev noted that Central Asia remains a key space for aligning the interests of SCO member states.
"It is no coincidence that in 2021, at the anniversary summit marking the SCO's 20th anniversary in the capital of sunny Tajikistan, the heads of state declared that Central Asia is the core of the SCO," Yermekbayev recalled.
He noted that over a quarter-century, the organization has become one of the largest international associations of our time. Today, the SCO space covers about a quarter of the world's land area and nearly half of the planet's population. Central Asian states have made and continue to make substantial contributions to SCO cooperation in all key areas.
"We believe that Central Asia will always remain a space of development, well-being, and prosperity. The SCO's 25th anniversary is a crucial milestone for assessing achievements and defining future development directions. We expect that implementing our common plans and the decisions of heads of state, including improving the organization's activities, will receive new impetus at the upcoming SCO summit in Bishkek," Nurlan Yermekbayev emphasized.
Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin, in his remarks, stressed that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is celebrating its 25th anniversary as a mature, authoritative, and in-demand international association.
Earlier, the SCO Secretary-General reviewed Kazakhstan’s 25-year participation.
