Mirziyoyev Proposes SCO-2040 Common Development Strategy

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev proposed developing a long-term strategic concept titled "SCO — 2040: Space of Common Development" during the Council of Heads of State meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Bishkek on 1 September, the Uzbek presidential press service said.

Addressing the summit, Mirziyoyev stated that SCO member states must define long-term development directions beyond responding to current challenges. The proposed strategy aims to establish an interconnected space for the free exchange of investments, technologies, and knowledge, alongside infrastructure projects and direct business ties.

To enhance economic integration, Mirziyoyev proposed creating an SCO Industrial Cooperation Map to digitalize special economic zones, manufacturing processes, markets, and logistics. He also called for the operational launch of the SCO Development Bank and suggested forming a portfolio of priority projects spanning transport, energy, industrial cooperation, and digital infrastructure.

In technology and innovation, the Uzbek leader supported Chinese President Xi Jinping's proposal to establish a World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization, stating the SCO should become a key partner of the alliance. He further proposed creating an SCO Open Multilingual Data Corpus and announced Uzbekistan's readiness to host an SCO forum on artificial intelligence and digital solutions next year.

To address environmental concerns, Mirziyoyev called for a unified SCO agenda on food, water, and energy security, backed by a specialized coordination mechanism and a technology cooperation program for water and energy efficiency through 2035.

Additional proposals included establishing a Council for the Integration of SCO Member States' Railway Spaces to align national transport networks, resuming regular SCO dialogue with Afghanistan to support regional stability, and creating a joint program for preserving intangible cultural heritage for 2028–2030.

Mirziyoyev also addressed international security, voicing concern over the situation in the Middle East and advocating for dialogue and de-escalation. The summit concluded with the approval of regulations establishing the SCO Universal Center for Countering Security Challenges and Threats in Tashkent, while the rotating SCO presidency was transferred from Kyrgyzstan to Pakistan.