Uzbekistan Presents SCO Development Agenda at Beijing Peace Forum

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — A delegation from the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan (ISMS), led by ISMS First Deputy Director Akramjon Nematov, participated in the 14th World Peace Forum held from 2 to 4 July 2026 in Beijing.

The event, organized by Tsinghua University with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China, brought together more than 400 delegates from 60 states, including representatives of political, diplomatic, and academic circles from the United States, Russia, Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East.

Vice President of the People's Republic of China Han Zheng spoke at the opening ceremony. Outlining Beijing's main approaches to forming a new international security architecture, he emphasized the importance of multilateral cooperation amid growing geopolitical turbulence.

During a session dedicated to the prospects of interaction within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Nematov presented the Uzbek vision for the further development of the Organisation. He quoted President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, stating that for Uzbekistan, the SCO is not just a foreign policy platform, but an instrument for ensuring security, sustainable development, and mutually beneficial cooperation.

According to Nematov, against the background of profound changes in the global system, the importance of regional interaction mechanisms is growing. "In conditions where global governance institutions face disruptions and are not always able to quickly respond to new challenges, the role of regional formats increases. That is precisely why the importance of the SCO is objectively growing today," he noted.

At the same time, the expert emphasized that the Organisation retains its unique nature. "The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is not a military block and was never intended as an alternative to existing international institutions. Its uniqueness lies elsewhere. It unites states with different political systems and interests, yet retains the ability to develop common approaches. In a fragmented world, the ability to maintain dialogue becomes a strategic resource in its own right," he stated.

Significant attention was paid to the transformation of modern challenges. According to the expert, security and development can no longer be considered separately. "Without a sustainable economy, it is impossible to ensure security. And without security, sustainable development is impossible," the expert believes.

For this reason, according to him, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev consistently advocates for the formation of a new model of economic partnership within the SCO based on interconnectedness and resilience.

This does not involve closing off the region, but rather strengthening its capacity to jointly withstand external economic shocks by developing industrial cooperation, transport and digital connectivity, expanding trade, and forming resilient production chains.

As the ISMS representative stated, "economic interdependence is not only a source of growth, but also an element of collective security."

Thus, the first deputy director of ISMS noted that the further evolution of the SCO must rely on a new agenda in which issues of security, economic integration, transport connectivity, and technological development are viewed as complementary elements of a unified strategy to ensure sustainability and stability across the Organisation's space.

The need to maintain an atmosphere of trust within the Organisation was outlined separately. According to Nematov's statement, "against the backdrop of growing international tension, it is important to prevent external contradictions from being transferred inside the Organisation. Therefore, a culture of dialogue becomes not just a value, but a condition for the development of the SCO." At the same time, he conceded that "disagreements between states are inevitable. Therefore, dialogue, consultations, and confidence-building mechanisms are necessary so that they do not undermine the common agenda."

Outlining Uzbekistan's approaches to the further development of the Organisation, the ISMS representative emphasized that the republic "consistently supports maintaining the open and non-aligned nature of the SCO and strengthening good-neighborliness."

The key message of the speech was the premise that Central Asia must remain the strategic core of the SCO. As Nematov emphasized, "this is recorded in the Tianjin Declaration, adopted at the summit in Beijing in 2025. But, more importantly, it reflects the objective structural reality of Eurasian cooperation."

According to him, Central Asia provides the internal connectivity of the Organisation. "If you look at geography, economics, and security, it becomes obvious: it is precisely Central Asia that ensures the internal connectivity of the SCO."

In this context, the expert explained that the region is a key transit hub for Eurasia, through which routes pass connecting East and South Asia, Russia, and the Middle East. Furthermore, "the principles of the 'Shanghai spirit' are most consistently implemented here," and the countries of the region are moving from strengthening trust to executing large-scale infrastructure projects.

As an example, the ISMS representative cited the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway, stating that "this is not just a transport line. It is a strategic corridor capable of changing the architecture of regional connectivity."

He also recalled that the 2022 Samarkand SCO Summit became a "real turning point," following which the "strategic and conceptual contours of the new economic architecture of the SCO" were laid down.

In addition, the key elements of the Organisation's security system are concentrated in Central Asia—the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure in Tashkent, as well as new centers in Dushanbe and Bishkek. "In essence, today Central Asia performs the function of a systemic stabilizer for the entire Organisation," Nematov summarized.

A special place in his speech was allocated to Afghan issues. According to the ISMS expert, "the ability of the SCO to act as a responsible actor in global governance directly depends on how effectively it ensures stability in its own space." He stated that "Afghanistan is a key element of regional security. Its instability affects the entire broad Eurasian region—from terrorism and drug trafficking to transport connectivity and economic integration."

In this regard, the first deputy director of ISMS pointed to the need to move from discussions to practical steps. "It is important not only to maintain attention on Afghan issues, but also to move toward practical interaction mechanisms. The resumption of the work of the SCO–Afghanistan Contact Group is urgent. It is no less important to develop dialogue with the Afghan authorities and support efforts to restore the country's economy. Without the economic recovery of Afghanistan, it is impossible to speak of long-term stability in the region," Nematov emphasized.

On the sidelines of the forum, the ISMS delegation held meetings with the heads of leading Chinese think tanks and universities, including Sun Zhuangzhi, director of the Institute of Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia of the CASS; Ding Xiaoxing, director of the Institute of Eurasian Studies of the CICIR; Xu Baofeng, head of the World Center for Sinology; and Professor Yan Xuetong, director of the Institute of International Relations at Tsinghua University.

During the talks, the Chinese experts were unanimous in their assessment that, thanks to the policy of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Uzbek-Chinese relations have reached the level of an "all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership."

The role of the head of Uzbekistan in strengthening good-neighborliness in Central Asia, promoting regional integration, and forming the concept of a "New Central Asia" was also particularly noted.

As a result, today the region is perceived in China as a space of new opportunities and one of the key centers of Eurasian cooperation.

At the same time, special attention is planned to be paid to the high-tech vector; in particular, the Chinese side expressed readiness for further expansion of interaction with Uzbekistan in the fields of the digital economy, artificial intelligence, innovation, and expert interaction.