SCO summit kicks off in Moscow

The Belarusian delegation is headed by Prime Minister Aleksandr Turchin. The event is attended by heads of government and senior officials from 10 SCO member states, as well as dialogue partners, observers, interested countries, and executive bodies of several international organizations and associations, including the CIS, the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), and the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD).

The meeting is expected to discuss measures for the comprehensive and gradual implementation of the SCO Development Strategy until 2035. Special attention will be given to expanding trade, economic, cultural, and humanitarian ties, as well as cooperation in digital economy, energy, the green agenda, artificial intelligence, science, innovation, education, culture, tourism, healthcare, sports, and youth exchanges.

In the run-up to the meeting, Belarus’ First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lukashevich told journalists that the Belarusian side intends to raise issues of countering sanctions, creating an independent financial institution, and promoting the initiative of “integration of integrations”. “We will talk about the possibilities of tourism potential within the large SCO family, about industrial cooperation within this organization, and, of course, about reducing transport barriers and uniting us into a common large logistics and transport system,” he said.

It is planned that the results of the meeting will be reflected in a joint communiqué. In addition, the consolidated position of the member states in defense of an open, fair, and equal multilateral trading system will be recorded in a statement on the global economic situation and within the SCO space. A protocol is also expected to be signed, establishing the possibility of paying annual contributions to the SCO budget not only in US dollars but also in other currencies.