Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Today, on 12 September, an article by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan was published in the national media, timed to coincide with the upcoming SCO summit in Samarkand, which will open in three days.

The article touches upon the current problems of the international community, starting with uncertainty on the global stage and ending with new challenges and problems, such as climate change. In this regard, the need for a constructive dialogue and multilateral cooperation based on the consideration and respect for the interests of each state is emphasized.

Such a format of interaction is possible within the framework of multilateral institutions whose activities meet the interests of all participants and serve the goals of the safe and sustainable development of mankind. An example of such interaction is the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) - one of the largest regional organizations in the world, which covers 60% of the Eurasian continent and about half of the population of our planet.

The principles of the Organization based on a non-bloc status and openness, equality and mutual respect, non-direction against third countries or international organizations, refusal to interfere in internal affairs, and prevention of political confrontation and confrontational rivalry make the SCO particularly attractive.

The SCO promotes the development of multifaceted cooperation through ensuring regional security. As part of the chairmanship of Uzbekistan in the SCO, our country held about 80 events in various fields, including the search for new areas of cooperation.

The chairmanship of Uzbekistan in the SCO is a logical continuation of the active and open foreign policy of our country over the past six years. The chairmanship gives Uzbekistan the opportunity to strengthen cooperation in a bilateral and multilateral format with each of the partner countries and identify new guidelines for expanding partnerships.

The article notes that there is the need for Afghanistan to become a link between Central and South Asia through the implementation of infrastructure projects, in particular, the Termez-Mazar-i-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar railway connection.

This is not the first time Uzbekistan chairs the SCO, but unlike past summits, the current meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Organization will be held in Samarkand. This is due to the historical significance of the city. Samarkand is located on ancient Great Silk Road, has more than 2750 years of rich history and since ancient times has been a place of historical meetings and civilizational dialogue, a bridge of cultural and humanitarian mutual enrichment and development of international trade, strengthening good neighborliness. In recent years, Samarkand has hosted a number of major forums. The city has changed significantly on the eve of the summit, its large-scale reconstruction is underway, the importance of the tourist brand of Samarkand is increasing.

In particular, in August this year, the opening of the largest tourist complex in Central Asia, Silk Road Samarkand took place.

It is expected that the Samarkand SCO summit, which will be held in person for the first time in the last 3 years, can become exactly the platform that can unite and reconcile states with different foreign policy priorities.

It is expected that the decisions of the upcoming summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization will make a significant contribution to strengthening multilateral dialogue, mutual understanding and cooperation both at the regional level and globally.

Shakhodat Khoshimova, 

Information and Analytical Center for International Relations