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India received the SCO rotating presidency yesterday in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. From September 2023, Delhi will preside over the organisation for an entire year. India will also host the SCO summit the following year. At the meeting of the Council of Heads of State in Uzbekistan’s Samarkand, the heads of state of the member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) signed the Samarkand Declaration. The announcement states that India would hold the SCO presidency for the upcoming period. The SCO Council of Heads of State will convene again in 2023, this time in India.
Key Takeaways
- The SCO Summit’s Member States acknowledged the world’s risks and challenges, including the digital and technical divide, the continued volatility of the financial markets, the brittleness of supply networks, the development of nationalism, and the unpredictability of the world economy.
- At the SCO meeting on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated his intention to transform India into a manufacturing hub. He emphasised SCO’s important contributions to the post-COVID era, particularly its role in boosting supply chains and expediting economic recovery.
- According to the Samarkand Declaration, the member governments supported regional efforts to uphold stability, peace, and environmental protection.
- They advocated for strengthening the SCO’s role in fostering regional stability and social progress.
SCO summit
The Member States of the SCO Summit recognized the global risks and difficulties, such as the digital and technical gap, the ongoing volatility of the world’s financial markets, the instability of supply chains, the rise of protectionism, and the unpredictability of the global economy. Member states also emphasised the effects of global climate change and the current COVID-19 epidemic as significant threats to food security, social welfare, and economic growth. The leaders emphasised implementing fresh strategies to advance more equitable and prosperous international collaboration and long-term economic growth.
Founded in June 2001, the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation ) now has 8 full members, such as its six founding countries: Kazakhstan, China, Russia, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan joined as full members in 2017. It has developed and transformed into one of the most important transregional global organisations. Iran was admitted as a regular member of both the SCO during the Samarkand meeting.
Samarkand Declaration
The member governments supported regional efforts to keep stability, harmony, and environmental sustainability, according to the Samarkand Declaration. They advocated for strengthening the SCO’s role in fostering stability in the region and socioeconomic development. The Member States forcefully condemned terrorism across the board and highlighted how seriously concerned they were about the threat that terrorism, separatism, and extremism presented to public safety. It was emphasised once more that we must fight terrorism, nationalism, and extremism. In addition, they are determined to act to stop the spreading of extremism, obstruct terrorist financial ways, halt terrorist training and pass movement, radicalise young people, propagate terrorist beliefs, and eliminate terrorist hidden havens and spy cells.
The SCO Region Anti-Terrorist Structure is essential in the struggle against terrorism, separatism, and extremism, the leaders underscored. The Member States must endeavour to identify common principles and techniques for compiling a directory listing of separatist, terrorist, and extremist groups whose actions are prohibited inside the boundaries of the SCO participating countries. According to the SCO Member States, one of the most important factors in preserving and promoting peace and security in the SCO area is the quick resolution of the Afghan issue. They supported the establishment of a sovereign, impartial, fair, tranquil, and liberated of terror, conflict, and drugs Afghanistan.
Enhancement of connectivity
The Member States emphasised improved connectivity in the area. It noted that further efforts to increase connectivity among Central and South Asia would guarantee security and prosperity in the SCO region. On the trade and economic front, Member States urged enhancing the WTO’s efficacy as the primary platform for debating the global trade agenda and approving the multilateral trading system’s rules. They underlined the necessity of swift and comprehensive organisational restructuring. To accomplish progressive free movement of products, capital, services, and technology, Member States encourage regional economic cooperation in various ways, promoting a favourable environment for trade and investment.
The Member States are dedicated to advancing environmentally friendly and green technology to create a sustainable economic structure. They emphasised the need to concentrate on sustainable development and water management and acknowledged that lack of access to clean water, basic sanitation, and good hygiene are key difficulties. In agriculture, Member States have pushed for the adoption of cutting-edge technologies and active collaboration in food security, taking into account several obstacles impeding the growth of agriculture within the production cycle.
Prime Minister Modi speaks during the SCO conference
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his aim to turn India into a manufacturing centre at the SCO conference on Friday. He highlighted SCO’s significant contributions to the post-COVID era, particularly accelerating economic recovery and enhancing supply chains. PM Modi stressed India’s emphasis on growth that is people-centric and values technology. The International Year of Millets will be celebrated in 2023, according to PM Modi, who also spoke about India’s efforts to promote millets at the SCO Summit.
Russian President Vladimir Putin about SCO Summit
Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, congratulated India for hosting the 23rd summit the following year. In addition to this, Chinese President Xi Jinping also wished India luck when it took over the SCO presidency in 2023. At the SCO Summit in Uzbekistan on Friday, Chinese President Xi Jinping said, “We would assist India with its leadership next year.” Notably, India will replace Uzbekistan as the SCO’s rotating chairman for the coming year. Today marked the conclusion of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) conference in Uzbekistan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and representatives from fifteen heads of state and ten international organisations took part in the two-day summit.
