Astana Declaration advances the SCO’s claim to regional voice

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...

The heads of government confirmed the Interbank Consortium as a practical economic cooperation mechanism. It aimed to facilitate finance for infrastructure, basic industries, high technology,...

The six governments signed the Agreement on Interbank Cooperation within the SCO, giving legal form to a mechanism for financing and servicing investment projects. The agreement offered a regional...

The heads of state reviewed the organization’s first five years and renewed its stated mission of peace, cooperation and development. The declaration presented the SCO as a regional institution with a...

The member states named cooperation against terrorism, separatism, extremism and drug trafficking as priorities, and called for strengthening RATS. The language shows security capacity becoming a...

The fifth-anniversary declaration welcomed partner participation in projects involving energy, transport, communications and agriculture. This differentiated project-based engagement from full...