Alexander Lukashenko attends SCO summit in Dushanbe

On September 17, Dushanbe is hosting a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Our President is taking part in the meeting of the Council of Heads of State. Today, the SCO includes 8 participants: Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, as well as India and Pakistan, which joined in 2017. Belarus received the observer status in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in 2015. Apart from us, Afghanistan, Iran and Mongolia are among the observers. Security and maintenance of peace in the region are in the foreground. The countries are attaching more and more importance to the development of economic cooperation. The growth rate of the economies of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization countries, their military potential speak about the prospects of the association.

General stability, the situation in Afghanistan, overcoming consequences of the pandemic are, perhaps, the main topics the leaders address in their speeches. There is a trust deficit, security issues are of concern as well as possible radicalization in the region because of the Afghan situation. Everyone is interested in its settlement. In this regard, they talk about the importance of anti-terrorism and control of migration flows. As for the economic development, the emphasis is on digitalization. They will develop the anti-epidemic interaction.

Cooperation on this platform opens up great prospects for Belarus not only in politics, but also in trade. While speaking at the forum, our President stressed that the time is coming to the historic test for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

More than 40 documents have been prepared for consideration. As the result it is expected to start the procedure of admission of Iran as a full member state of Shanghai Cooperation Organization and grant the status of dialogue partner to Egypt, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.