India, Iran and Pakistan receive SCO observer status

The member states proposed a wider network among Asia-Pacific multilateral organizations, including through agreements and observer relations. The proposal reflected an ambition for South-South and...

The SCO granted Mongolia observer status by Decision No. 12 of the Council of Heads of State, creating a formal channel for participation without full membership. The status illustrates how the...

The heads of state concluded their Tashkent meeting with a declaration covering security, economic integration, environmental cooperation and external relations. The agenda demonstrates the...

At the annual heads-of-government meeting, members reviewed implementation of their economic cooperation programme and discussed measures to develop trade and investment. Such steps show the gap...

The Council of Heads of Government established the Interbank Consortium to support bank services and financing for government-sponsored investment projects. This created a potential channel for...

The six member states issued a declaration reaffirming cooperation and the organization’s role in international affairs. The statement presented the SCO as a growing regional voice, but claims about...

The declaration advanced a more democratic and equitable international order and emphasized sovereign equality and respect for national choices. This challenged post-Cold War hierarchy and...

The Astana summit statement called on coalition forces in Afghanistan to set a timetable for temporary use of infrastructure and bases in member states. It reflected member governments’ desire to...

The member states described the SCO as a partnership rather than a military bloc. The declaration counters popular comparisons with NATO, though its expanding security cooperation still invites...

The Astana Declaration urged cooperation across economic and cultural fields as well as security. The breadth of its agenda expressed an alternative regional vision, but concrete gains depended on the...