Pakistan attends SCO Plus inter-party forum

SCO to discuss its role in addressing Afghanistan issue
SCO to discuss its role in addressing Afghanistan issue

BEIJING, Oct 28 (APP): Pakistan has attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) first inter-party forum held via video-conferencing.

The event was attended by leaders of major political parties together with experts from more than 40 countries, including the SCO member states, the CIS, BRICS and ASEAN, according to the SCO Secretariat on Wednesday.

The international political leaders contributed video messages, including Deputy Secretary General of Pakistan Movement for Justice Saifullah Niazi, President of India’s Bharatiya Janata Party Jagat Prakash Nadda, First Deputy Chairman of Kazakhstan’s Nur Otan Party Bauyrjan Qydyrgaliuly Baibek, Head of the International Liaison Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China Song Tao, First Deputy Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party of Tajikistan Azizi Abdujabbor and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Political Council of the Movement of Entrepreneurs and Businesspeople — the Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan Aktam Khaitov.

President of Russia Vladimir Putin and Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, Chairman of the United Russia political party Dmitry Medvedev addressed the participants of the Forum.

Speaking at the opening session, SCO Secretary-General Vladimir Norov said in 2020, the SCO had been continuously active in strengthening its role in developing collective measures to stabilise the epidemiological situation and overcome the socioeconomic crisis caused by the pandemic.

He underscored the immense human and economic potential of the SCO adding that the group’s total foreign trade exceeded $6.3 trillion, and called for the further growth of mutual trade within the association.

Vladimir Norov pointed out the global economy trend of the balance of power shifting from the West to the East, saying by 2030, the world’s leading economies would reach $190 trillion, with China, India and Russia accounting for 60 percent of that volume.

He said the SCO needed to intensify exchange with other inter-regional platforms, including the EAEU, the CIS and ASEAN, and contribute to aligning their development strategies with China’s Belt and Road Initiative, aiming for a larger Eurasian partnership.

The participants were also updated on the SCO’s current activities to improve the working mechanisms and regulatory framework of multilateral cooperation in transport logistics, infrastructure development, digital innovations, small and medium-sized businesses, as well as education and youth policy in the context of the preparations for the upcoming SCO summit.

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