TASHKENT, August 31. /Dunyo IA/.   President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, will participate in the regular meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in the city of Bishkek on August 31^st – September 1^st, 2026, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

For Uzbekistan, participation in SCO events is of particular significance, given the Republic's active role in the Organization's activities and its status as one of its founding states.

Over the years, Shanghai Cooperation Organization has undergone substantial development and has emerged as a major international platform for political dialogue and multilateral cooperation across Eurasia. The expansion of its membership, evolution of its institutional mechanisms and the emergence of new areas of cooperation reflect the Organization's growing role in addressing pressing issues of regional and international development.

Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was established on June 15th 2001 in Shanghai, with the heads of Uzbekistan, China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan signing the Declaration on the Establishment of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The six countries are recognized as the Organization's founding states. Since its establishment, SCO has significantly expanded its membership. India and Pakistan became full members in 2017, followed by Iran in 2023 and Belarus in 2024.

The main objectives of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) are to strengthen mutual trust, friendship and good-neighbourly relations among its member states, promote multilateral cooperation, safeguard peace, security and stability in the region, and advance political and economic cooperation. Particular emphasis is placed on joint efforts to combat terrorism, separatism and extremism, illicit trafficking in drugs and arms, as well as other forms of transnational organized crime.

An important feature of the SCO is the principles of mutual respect, the pursuit of aligned solutions, and consensus underpinning its activities. The Organization is not directed against other states or international organizations, and its operations are grounded in international law and mutual understanding. Legal framework of the SCO comprises more than 1,600 documents covering security matters, economic cooperation, long-term good-neighborliness, and the development of connectivity.

Continuous work of the organization is ensured by the SCO Secretariat in Beijing, while the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS), headquartered in Tashkent, coordinates the interaction of the competent authorities of the member states in combating terrorism, separatism, and extremism. In 2025, agreements were signed to transform RATS into the Universal Center for Countering Security Challenges and Threats and to establish the SCO Anti-Drug Center in Dushanbe, reflecting the further development of cooperation mechanisms in the security sphere.

One of the important trends in the contemporary stage of the SCO’s development is the expansion of its interaction with non-member states, as well as with international and regional structures. This facilitates the formation of a broader system of multilateral dialogue and strengthens the international ties of the SCO.

Until 2025, two formats of external engagement operated within the framework of the SCO: observer status and dialogue partner status. Two states held observer status with the organization, while 15 countries maintained dialogue partner status.

In parallel, the SCO's interaction with international organizations continues to develop. The SCO Secretariat has signed memorandums of understanding with the UN, ASEAN, CIS, CSTO, ECO, CICA, UNODC, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the EAEU, UNESCO and a number of other international structures. Such interaction creates additional opportunities for exchanging experience and implementing joint initiatives across a wide range of issues.

Uzbekistan has been actively participating in the activities of the SCO since the inception of the organization. Over the years of the SCO's existence, Republic has chaired the organization four times—in 2003–2004, 2009–2010, 2015–2016 and 2021–2022.

2016 Tashkent Summit occupies a special place in the history of the organisation. The agreements reached during the summit established the conditions for granting India and Pakistan the status of SCO member states in 2017.

Since 2017, Uzbekistan has shifted toward a proactive approach in developing cooperation within the framework of the SCO. Over the period of 2017–2025, President of Uzbekistan put forward 118 initiatives spanning political, trade, economic, transport, logistics, innovation and other spheres.

Summit held on September 15–16th, 2022, in Samarkand under the chairmanship of Uzbekistan was of paramount significance in the development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The event was attended by heads of state, representatives of member states, observers and guests, as well as leaders of international organizations.

Following the Samarkand Summit, a record number of 44 documents were adopted. They were aimed at imparting a new practical substance to cooperation within the SCO and further advancing multilateral interaction.

A key outcome was the signing of the Memorandum of Obligations of Iran, which paved the way for its full membership in the organization. Concurrently, the legal formalization of Egypt, Qatar and Saudi Arabia's status as SCO dialogue partners was completed. Decisions were also taken to initiate the procedure for admitting Belarus as a full member of the organization and the applications of a number of states for dialogue partner status were supported.

Summit also facilitated the expansion of the SCO’s interaction with international organizations. On its sidelines, memorandums of understanding were signed with the League of Arab States, UNESCO and UN ESCAP.

A critical direction of Uzbekistan’s proactive endeavors is the development of economic interaction. On October 16th, 2024, at the meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government in Islamabad, Concept of Cooperation on Developing a New Economic Dialogue between SCO Member States was adopted at the initiative of Uzbekistan.

Role of Uzbekistan in the SCO today extends beyond participation in multilateral dialogue. The Republic acts as one of the active initiators of new areas of cooperation, striving to ensure their practical implementation and further development.

A distinct position on the contemporary agenda is occupied by matters of economic cooperation, the development of transport connectivity and efficient transport corridors. In 2022, the Concept for the Development of Connectivity and Creation of Efficient Transport Corridors was adopted, reflecting the growing significance of logistics cooperation among the states of the organization.

The next major milestone will be the Jubilee Summit of the SCO Council of Heads of State, to be held on August 31st – September 1st, 2026, in Bishkek under the motto “25 Years of the SCO: Together for Sustainable Peace, Development and Prosperity”. The jubilee format of the summit will impart particular significance to the deliberations on the future priorities of the Organization's activities, strengthening of multilateral cooperation and the identification of new avenues for joint work.

Over its 25 years, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has traversed a significant path of development - from an association of six states to a major international organization with an expanded membership and an extensive system of interaction. Today, the SCO brings together states possessing significant demographic and economic potential and holds vast opportunities for the advancement of multilateral cooperation.

At the contemporary stage, Uzbekistan continues to focus on developing practical and mutually beneficial cooperation. Promotion of economic dialogue, transport connectivity, innovative interaction and the strengthening of security mechanisms align both with the tasks of the SCO's further development and the national interests of the Republic.

Upcoming Jubilee SCO Summit in Bishkek will undoubtedly serve as a critical platform for defining the future priorities of the organization's activities and formulating new directions for joint work. For Uzbekistan, participation in the summit unlocks opportunities to advance a constructive agenda, reinforce mutual trust and develop initiatives that contribute to unleashing the potential of regional and interregional cooperation.