PM Bektenov participates in SCO Heads of Government Council’s meeting in Islamabad
Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov participated in the 23rd meeting of the Heads of Government Council of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Islamabad, Pakistan, Kazinform News Agency learned from primeminister.kz.
The meeting focused on implementation of the agreements reached at the level of the heads of state on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Astana in July.
The participants discussed the measures to deepen cooperation in trade-economic and cultural-humanitarian spheres in new conditions given Belarus' status of a full-fledged member of the SCO.
In 2023, Kazakhstan’s trade turnover with the SCO states increased by 6% and reached $66.7 billion. SCO accounts for 30% in global GDP, while trade turnover within the Organization exceeded a quarter of the total volume .
Taking the floor, Olzhas Bektenov said that the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and leaders of the SCO had laid the foundation for further development of the multilateral cooperation of the member states. He pointed out that new growth points are needed to reach sustainable dynamics in trade amid slowdown in the global economic development.
The Kazakh side emphasized the need to develop digitalization and online commerce, to modernize the existing railroad and automobile roads as part of creation of a port and logistics network, mutually beneficial cooperation in energy and investment sectors.
Particular attention was given to the implementation of a package of measures in climate change, effective management of waste, as well as strengthening contacts between educational and health institutions. A close cooperation in designated areas will let create favorable conditions for sustainable development and prosperity of the SCO.
The meeting ended with signing eight documents including a decision on the Concept of Development of the New Economic Dialogue among the SCO member states.
Those participating in the meeting were heads of delegations of the SCO member states: Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Belarus Roman Golovchenko, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Akylbek Zhaparov, Prime Minister of Russia Mikhail Mishustin, Prime Minister of Tajikistan Kokhir Rasulzoda, Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov, Premier of the State Council of China Li Qiang, Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade of Iran Mohammad Atabak, Minister of External Affairs of India Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, as well as Secretary General of the SCO Zhang Ming, Director of the Executive Committee of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure Ruslan Mirzaev, Deputy Secretary General of the CICA Zhang Ling, Deputy Secretary General of the CIS Ilhom Nematov, Head of the Government of the SCO observer member – Mongolia - Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrain, and special guest – Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov.
