On 10 November, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev took part in a regular meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in the format of a video conference.
The meeting, chaired by the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, was also attended by the Prime Minister of the Republic of India Narendra Modi, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Chairman of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping, Acting President, Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov, Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Imran Khan, President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon.
In addition, the summit was attended by representatives of the SCO observer states - President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Hassan Rouhani, President of Mongolia Khaltmaagiin Battulga, Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus Roman Golovchenko, as well as SCO Secretary General Vladimir Norov and Jumakhon Giyosov, Director of the Executive Committee of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure.
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres made a video message to the summit participants.
In accordance with the agenda of the meeting, issues of further deepening multifaceted interaction within the SCO were discussed.
The heads of delegations of member states and observers analyzed the current level and prospects for the development of multilateral relations in priority areas, and also exchanged views on topical international and regional issues.
In his speech, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan emphasized that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is at a fundamentally new stage of its development.
The head of our state called to preserve and enhance the traditions of good neighborliness, equality, trust and consideration of each other’s interests. According to him, “today it is more important than ever to strengthen the “Shanghai Spirit” - this unique experience of multilateral cooperation, which is our common heritage and expresses our desire for joint development, respect for the diversity of cultures.”
Mutual support and joint search for compromises on key issues on the agenda of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization were named as the main condition for ensuring security and sustainable development in the vast Eurasian space. "The SCO is strong only when each of us is strong."
In this regard, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has put forward a number of relevant initiatives aimed at further developing practical cooperation within the SCO.
In particular, in order to minimize the negative consequences of the pandemic, it was proposed to strengthen trade, economic and investment ties through the adoption of long-term documents in the field of trade and economic cooperation of the SCO, as well as in the field of food security and stimulation of industrial cooperation.
The head of our country, noting the growing role of information technology in ensuring economic growth, spoke in favor of the development of the SCO Program for the Development of Digital Literacy, aimed at training highly qualified specialists and educating the population.
The leader of Uzbekistan separately highlighted the relevance of establishing close cooperation on poverty reduction. It was proposed to create a mechanism for meetings of the heads of relevant ministries and departments within the SCO framework and prepare a corresponding program document. They expressed their readiness to hold an International Forum in our country to develop coordinated measures to combat poverty.
Welcoming the approval of the SCO Comprehensive Plan of Joint Measures to Counter the Threats of Epidemics, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev called for further intensification of cooperation to combat the spread of dangerous infections, the creation of a network of medical institutions for infectious diseases, and the development of a Concept for cooperation in the field of telemedicine.
The head of our state noted that the issues of combating the threats of terrorism, extremism and drug trafficking, which are acquiring new forms, should remain in the focus of the SCO.
This will be facilitated by the adaptation of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure to the solution of fundamentally new tasks to ensure security in the area of the organization and the further building up of contacts between the competent departments.
The President of Uzbekistan called on the summit participants to support the peace process in Afghanistan and the involvement of this country in regional trade and economic ties.
In this context, it was proposed to promptly adopt a Plan of Practical Measures to Assist the Social and Economic Recovery of the IRA within the framework of the SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group. Particular attention was paid to transport corridor initiatives that will help restore Afghanistan to its historic role as a connecting bridge between Central and South Asia.
These and other issues can be included in the agenda of the International Conference “Central and South Asia: Regional Connectivity. Challenges and Opportunities”, which will be held in April 2021 in Tashkent at the initiative of Uzbekistan.
The SCO turns 20 next year. On the eve of this significant date, the President of our country proposed holding an international forum "The role of the SCO in the system of modern international relations."
As a result of the summit, the Moscow Declaration of the Council of the Heads of the SCO Member States was adopted, as well as a package of documents aimed at expanding further mutually beneficial multifaceted cooperation within the organization.
At the initiative of the Uzbek side, the Summit adopted the Statement of the Heads of the SCO Member States on Cooperation in the Digital Economy.
Reported by the Uzbekistan Daily.
