Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 17 June 2025, the fourth meeting of the heads of ministries and agencies responsible for the development of information and communication technologies in the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was held in the city of Karamay, located in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China.

During the meeting, participants discussed key aspects of accelerating digital transformation across the SCO region, including the adoption of advanced digital solutions in areas such as artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing, and smart city technologies.

Particular attention was given to issues of information security, the development of digital infrastructure, digital public governance, and the broader digital economy.

Uzbekistan was represented at the meeting by the Minister of Digital Technologies, Sherzod Shermatov.

As a result of the event, the parties approved an Action Plan to Strengthen Cooperation in Digital Transformation among SCO member states.

The document outlines several strategic directions, including:

advancing cooperation in digital transformation policy;

modernizing and developing digital infrastructure;

introducing digital public administration systems;

fostering partnerships in cloud technologies;

digitalizing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs);

launching joint initiatives for the development and implementation of digital technologies;

promoting staff exchanges, professional development, and ICT workforce training.

The adopted Action Plan is expected to deepen collaboration among SCO countries in the realm of digital innovation and contribute to the formation of a secure and sustainable digital ecosystem throughout the region.