Shanghai Cooperation Organization adopts declaration at Astana summit

By Meiramgul Kussainova

ASTANA, Kazakhstan (AA) - The 24th Summit of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) concluded on Thursday in Astana, Kazakhstan's capital, with the adoption of the Astana Declaration.

The declaration stressed the group’s commitment to building a more representative, democratic, equitable, and multipolar world order.

It highlighted that cooperation within the organization could form the basis for an equal and indivisible security architecture in Eurasia.

The declaration stressed the importance of enhancing the SCO's role in global peace, security and stability, and advocated a new just, democratic, political, and economic international order.

It emphasized the principles of territorial integrity, non-interference in internal affairs, and non-use of force as essential for sustainable international relations.

The declaration reaffirmed the commitment of member states to the peaceful settlement of disputes through dialogue and consultation.

It underlined the need to respect the right of SCO members to independently choose their political and socioeconomic development paths.

In addition, the member states resolved to boost the group’s potential and international influence, calling it as an important organization in the multipolar world.

During the summit, Belarus was admitted as a full member and China assumed the group’s rotating presidency.

The two-day summit began on Wednesday in the Kazakh capital Astana.

The organization was founded in 2001 in Shanghai. Initially, it consisted of six countries: Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. In 2017, India and Pakistan joined, followed by Iran in 2023.

There are two other observer states, Afghanistan and Mongolia, and 14 dialogue partners, including Türkiye, who was represented at this year’s summit by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

*Writing by Yasin Gungor in Istanbul