Historical Organization
SCO Council of Foreign Ministers
SCO Council of Foreign Ministers
Details
Organization Timeline
Foreign ministers prepare the Tashkent summit
đź“… 24 May 2016The Council of Foreign Ministers met in Tashkent to review SCO cooperation and prepare documents for the heads-of-state meeting. The ministerial process shows how the organisation builds consensus...
Foreign ministers approve drafts for India and Pakistan’s accession
đź“… 21 April 2017At the Astana meeting, ministers submitted draft decisions on admitting India and Pakistan to the heads of state. The process shows enlargement as a negotiated legal sequence rather than an...
Foreign ministers prepare the Astana Declaration
đź“… 21 April 2017The foreign ministers approved the draft declaration and summit communique. This ministerial stage shaped the public language and near-term priorities that leaders would adopt in June.
Foreign ministers prepare the Qingdao summit
đź“… 24 April 2018SCO foreign ministers reviewed priorities after the 2017 accession of India and Pakistan and approved summit drafts in principle. The meeting shows how the expanded organisation prepared its next...
Foreign ministers approve draft documents for the Bishkek summit
đź“… 22 May 2019Ministers reviewed the Qingdao decisions and endorsed summit drafts covering security, economic cooperation, digitalisation, environmental protection, health, sport and media. The agenda widened...
SCO foreign ministers adopt a COVID-19 statement by videoconference
đź“… 13 May 2020Ministers called for coordinated multilateral action, cooperation with the WHO, and special attention to developing countries facing pandemic-related economic harm. They also proposed a joint regional...
SCO foreign ministers meet during the pandemic
đź“… 10 September 2020Ministers in Moscow addressed the summit agenda, pandemic response, digital economy and multilateral cooperation. The meeting was one of the main in-person diplomatic preparations for the online...
SCO foreign ministers meet in Dushanbe
📅 14 July 2021The Council of Foreign Ministers reviewed the organization’s work and regional issues, and prepared documents for the anniversary heads-of-state summit. Tajikistan chaired the meeting.
Foreign ministers prepare Samarkand summit
📅 29 July 2022The SCO foreign ministers met in Tashkent and reviewed draft summit texts, including a declaration and plans for connectivity and industrial cooperation. Iran’s accession path and Belarus’s...
Foreign ministers prepare New Delhi summit agenda
📅 5 May 2023At Panaji, foreign ministers agreed on summit agenda and draft documents, and discussed completing Iran’s accession, Belarus’s accession process, and engagement with dialogue partners.
Foreign ministers prepare the Astana summit
📅 20 May 2024The Council of Foreign Ministers met in Astana on 20–21 May and reviewed political, economic, environmental, and humanitarian cooperation while preparing summit documents. Pakistan’s first...
Foreign ministers prepare the Tianjin summit
đź“… 15 July 2025Foreign ministers met in Tianjin and reviewed drafts for the upcoming heads-of-state meeting. China chaired the meeting as the SCO presidency continued its annual cycle.
Foreign ministers prepare the Bishkek summit
đź“… 24 July 2026The Council of Foreign Ministers met in Cholpon-Ata and approved drafts of the Bishkek Declaration and other summit texts as a basis for further consideration. The meeting was preparatory; adoption...