SCO Heads of State Council in Samarkand – Another Feather in Uzbekistan’s Cap – Tazeen Akhtar

Tazeen Akhtar / Islamabad

The Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of Shanghai Cooperation Organization held in Samarkand on 15-16 September 2022 is another feather in the cap of the Government and the people of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The annual Council of Heads of State meeting is the highest forum in SCO where all the strategic decisions regarding the future direction of the Organization are taken. All eight Heads of State/Government of SCO member states attended the Summit meeting in person.

The President of Uzbekistan, H.E Shavkat Mirziyoyev has a vision of shared prosperity, regional stability, common interests, effective connectivity and communication for better understanding one another in all regions of SCO. The President, in his address to the council, presented his suggestions in this regard in detail. The heads of the council of member states appreciated his suggestions and resolved to work upon them in their true sense and spirit.

As SCO Chair, the President of Uzbekistan invited as special guests President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkiye, President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, and President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimukhamedov to the Samarkand CHS. Heads of SCO Observer states Iran, Mongolia and Belarus also attended the Summit.

SCO Leaders adopted the Samarkand Declaration which articulated the collective stance of SCO on important global and regional issues. In addition, they also adopted four Joint Statements on Climate Change, Food Security, Energy Security and the Statement on Maintaining Reliable International Supply Chains.

SCO Leaders also approved new initiatives including the Comprehensive Action Plan for 2023-2027 on the implementation of the provisions of the Treaty on Long-Term Good-Neighborliness, Friendship, and Cooperation; Concept for Cooperation of the SCO Member States in Developing Connectivity and Creating Efficient Economic and Transport Corridors; Regulations on the Honorary Title “Goodwill Ambassador of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization; Roadmap for Gradual Increase in the Share of National Currencies in Mutual Settlements of the SCO Member States.

Moreover, four Intergovernmental Agreements on: i) Cooperation on Development of Tourism ii) Cooperation in Sphere of Trade in Services; iii) MoU on Cooperation in Museum Matters; and iv) Cooperation in Plant Quarantine were also signed at the Samarkand CHS.

SCO Heads of State and Government agreed on further expansion of SCO and approved the request of Belarus for full membership status as well as requests by Bahrain, UAE, Kuwait, Maldives, and Myanmar as new Dialogue Partners. A Memorandum of Obligations of the Islamic Republic of Iran as a full member of the Organization has also been signed. President Shavkat congratulates the President of Iran, Mr. Ebrahim Raisi. The expansion of the geographical coverage of the SCO is another confirmation of the importance of our Organization, which demonstrates efficiency, mutual understanding, and dynamism.

President Shavkat highlighted the adoption of  SCO Concept for strengthening Connectivity and Establishing Effective Transport Corridors.He propose to establish an Interregional Center for Connectivity in the city of Tashkent, with the support of the United Nations.

The host President said, “We are considering the signing of the trilateral Agreement on the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway as a historic event as a part of the summit. We urge you to support another strategically important project – the construction of the Termez-Mazar-i-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar railway corridor. Implementation of these two projects shall open up broad opportunities for strengthening connectivity, increasing mutual trade and investment, and, in general, ensuring sustainable economic growth in the space of our Organization.

SCO leaders expressed their support and solidarity with Pakistan at this critical time.The President of Uzbekistan on behalf of the Council of Heads of State of SCO appealed to the international community to support Pakistan in overcoming the devastating consequences of the floods.

The Prime Minister’s statement at the Summit conveyed Pakistan’s vision for the strategic direction of SCO in the face of global political and economic transformation. Pakistan’s commitment to the principles and purposes of SCO Charter and to the ‘Shanghai Spirit’ as a core value of SCO was also reaffirmed. Participation in the Samarkand SCO Summit provided a significant opportunity to present Pakistan’s viewpoint on important national, regional and global issues.

In his statement, the Prime Minister presented a compelling case for collective action by SCO countries to combat the ravages of climate change. He shared details of the human tragedy and the massive devastation caused by the climate calamity that struck Pakistan. The Prime Minister expressed deep appreciation for the support proffered by SCO leaders for relief and assistance to the people affected by the floods.

On the situation in Afghanistan, the Prime Minister underlined that after 40 years of conflict, there was a real possibility to establish sustainable peace in that country. He called for a new compact between Afghanistan and the international community and the need for constructive engagement with the Afghan interim authorities. The Prime Minister also stressed the importance of inclusivity, respect for the human rights of all Afghans including women, and effective counterterrorism action.

The Prime Minister underscored Pakistan’s active role in maintaining regional peace and security, and in counter-terrorism through the SCO-RATS platform. He highlighted Pakistan’s contribution toward global counter-terrorism and the immense sacrifices and economic losses incurred over the last decades.