President of Uzbekistan Proposes New Economic and Security Initiatives for the SCO

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 1 September, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev participated in a meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Tianjin, chaired by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The meeting brought together heads of state and government of SCO member countries, as well as the SCO Secretary-General and the Director of the Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure.

During the session, participants discussed ways to deepen multilateral cooperation, enhance the organization’s operations, and address regional and international security issues. Xi Jinping congratulated President Mirziyoyev and the people of Uzbekistan on Independence Day, noting the country’s rapid development and improved quality of life under his leadership. In response, President Mirziyoyev expressed gratitude for the greetings, commended China’s chairmanship of the SCO, and congratulated attendees on the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory in World War II.

Mirziyoyev emphasized that the summit was held against a backdrop of global uncertainty: systemic crises of trust, escalating conflicts, weakening multilateral institutions, and fragmentation of world trade undermine the foundations of international security. In this context, he stressed, solidarity and mutual understanding among SCO states are critical for maintaining peace in the region.

The President highlighted the need to improve the efficiency of the organization, strengthen SCO institutions, and enhance mechanisms for implementing decisions, expressing confidence that the transformation process initiated at the Samarkand summit would advance these goals. He called for a gradual expansion of the organization’s membership, including new partners from the Global South, and for stronger cooperation in the security sphere, including through the adoption of an SCO Declaration on Nuclear Security.

To counter transnational threats, he proposed resuming the Meeting of Ministers of Internal Affairs and Public Security, revising the provisions of the Agreement on Cooperation in Combating Crime, and developing a Drug Control Program through 2030. Mirziyoyev also supported the reactivation of the SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group to foster constructive dialogue and support socio-economic projects in Afghanistan.

In the economic domain, the President outlined priorities for expanding trade and economic cooperation, establishing sustainable interaction models, and simplifying trade procedures. He proposed creating new multilateral platforms to develop production and logistics chains and stimulate investment, including a Regional Critical Materials Center, an Energy Consortium, a Venture Network, and a Special Electronic Portal for Business Contacts, as well as enhancing transport and transit potential along the North–South and East–West corridors with integration into the Belt and Road Initiative.

In the context of the SCO’s green transformation, Mirziyoyev suggested establishing a regional platform for climate adaptation, decarbonization, and the use of artificial intelligence technologies for environmental risk forecasting. He also emphasized the importance of cultural cooperation and “people-to-people diplomacy,” including hosting an International Folk Arts Festival, creating an SCO University Online Campus, organizing competitions and olympiads for students and young professionals, and implementing projects such as the Tourist Corridor and SCO Medical Tourism Alliance.

Finally, President Mirziyoyev congratulated Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov on assuming the SCO chairmanship. Xi Jinping thanked him for the proposed initiatives and stressed the importance of their joint implementation.

The meeting concluded with the signing of the Tianjin Declaration, approval of the SCO Development Strategy through 2035, and a series of multilateral documents aimed at strengthening cooperation across various sectors.