A Virtual Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Held

A meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Heads of State Council took place on November 10, 2020 via videoconference. President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin chaired the meeting of the SCO Heads of State Council. The leaders discussed the current state and priority goals of SCO activities in the context of the dominant global political and economic processes. They unanimously emphasised that in conditions of deep transformation unfolding in international relations, the SCO continues asserting itself as a major foundation of a representative and fair world arrangement that is taking shape now. “It is based on the supremacy of international law, equal and indivisible security and respect for civilisational diversity and sovereignty,” a press release from Russian Embassy stated. In attendance of the event were Prime Minister of  India Narendra Modi, President of the Kazakhstan Kassym Jomart Tokayev, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Acting President, Prime Minister of Kyrgyz Sadyr Japarov, Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan, Russian President Vladimir Putin, President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, as well as SCO Secretary-General Vladimir Norov and Director of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) Jumakhon Giyosov.

The summit was attended by the heads of state of the SCO observer states- President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani, President of Belarus Roman Golovchenko, President of Iran Hassan Rouhani and President of Mongolia  Khaltmaagiin Battulga. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres delivered a welcome speech at the meeting via videoconference. The statement said, “Noting the historic significance of the victory of the peace-loving states and peoples over Nazism, fascism and militarism and the establishment of the United Nations Organisation in 1945, the SCO member states reaffirmed their unwavering support for the efforts to strengthen the central coordinating role of the UN and its Security Council as a key factor in maintaining peaceful, sustainable and steady development of humankind.” The SCO member states intend to continue promoting practical cooperation in politics, security, trade, the economy, culture and humanitarian ties with a view to overcoming global and regional consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, and ensuring reliable security, prosperity and sustainable economic growth of the SCO member states. The coordinated positions of the SCO member states are reflected in the summit’s documents – the Moscow Declaration and statements on the 75th anniversary of Victory in World War II, their resolve to counter the spread of terrorist, separatist and extremist ideology, including online. Also on cooperation on ensuring international information security, countering the drug threat and their joint response efforts against the novel coronavirus infection and cooperation in the digital economy. The participants adopted the Action Plan for 2021̵ 2025 to implement the SCO Development Strategy until 2025, the Concept for Cooperation of the SCO Member States on the Development of Remote and Rural Areas in the Digital Age, and the Comprehensive Joint Action Plan of the SCO Member States to Counter the Threats of Epidemics in the Region. They approved the reports by the SCO Secretary-General and the RATS Director on the main results of their activities in 2019. The participants supported the initiative of the Kyrgyz Republic on the SCO Cultural and Integration Centre in Bishkek. According to the statement they also spoke highly of Russia’s SCO Chairmanship, which contributed to imparting new dynamics and quality to the SCO’s development. The SCO Chairmanship was assumed by the Republic of Tajikistan.   A list documents to be adopted following the meeting of the Council of the Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation member states (Moscow, 10 November 2020)

  1. Moscow Declaration of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO Member States.
  2. Decision of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO Member States Approving the Action Plan for 2021̵ 2025 to Implement the SCO Development Strategy until 2025.
  3. Decision of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO Member States on the Concept of Cooperation of the SCO Member States on the Development of Remote and Rural Areas in the Digital Age.
  4. Decision of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO Member States on the Comprehensive Joint Action Plan of the SCO Member States to Counter Threats of Epidemics in the Region.
  5. Decision of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO Member States to Sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the SCO Secretariat and the Secretariat of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.
  6. Decision of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO Member States to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the SCO Secretariat and the Eurasian Economic Commission.
  7. Decision of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO Member States to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the SCO Secretariat and the World Health Organisation.
  8. Decision of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO Member States on the Cultural and Integration Centre of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
  9. Decision of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO Member States on the SCO Secretary-General’s Report on the Organisation’s Activities over the Past Year.
  10. Decision of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO Member States on the SCO Regional Antiterrorist Structure Council’s Report on the SCO RATS Activities in 2019.
  11. Statement by the Council of Heads of State of the SCO Member States in Connection with the 75th Anniversary of Victory in World War II (adopted without signing).
  12. Statement by the Council of Heads of State of the SCO Member States on Countering the Spread of Terrorist, Separatist and Extremist Ideology, Including Online (adopted without signing).
  13. Statement by the Council of Heads of State of the SCO Member States on Cooperation in International Information Security (adopted without signing).
  14. Statement by the Council of Heads of State of the SCO Member States on Countering the Drug Threat (adopted without signing).
  15. Statement by the Council of Heads of State of the SCO Member States on Joint Response Efforts Against the Novel Coronavirus Infection (adopted without signing).
  16. Statement by the Council of Heads of State of the SCO Member States on Cooperation in the Digital Economy (adopted without signing).

 

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