SCO’s Samarkand Summit to further enhance cooperation for regional security, common prosperity: Uzbek President

SCO’s Samarkand Summit to further enhance cooperation for regional security, common prosperity: Uzbek President

ISLAMABAD, Sep 12 (APP): The success concept of Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s (SCO) is the promotion of multifaceted cooperation through ensuring regional security, and the Samarkand Summit will further set an example of cooperation for shared prosperity.

These views were shared by President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev in his article written before the upcoming SCO summit, which will be held in Samarkand on September 15 and 16, 2022.

The President, in his article titled “The SCO Samarkand Summit: Dialogue and Cooperation in an Interconnected World”, wrote that Samarkand could become the platform that can unite and reconcile states with different foreign policy priorities. The SCO is called upon to become a pole of attraction without dividing lines in the name of peace, cooperation, and progress.

The article states that Uzbekistan’s Chairmanship in the SCO has fallen on a dynamic period, fraught with various events and trends – the period of the «historical rift», when one era comes to an end and another begins – thus far unpredictable and unknown.

The modern system of international cooperation, based on the universal principles and norms, begins to falter. One of the main reasons for this is a deep crisis of trust at the global level, which, in turn, provokes a geopolitical confrontation and the risk of reviving the bloc thinking stereotypes. This process of mutual alienation complicates the return of the world economy to its former course of development and the restoration of global supply chains.

In these circumstances, it is obvious that no country alone can hope to avoid or cope with these global risks and challenges.

There is only one way to solve problems in an interconnected world where we all live today – through constructive dialogue and multilateral cooperation based on consideration and respect for the interests of everyone.

It is exactly at the time of crisis when all the countries, whether they are large, medium or small by size, must put aside their narrow interests and focus on such mutual interaction, unite and multiply the common efforts and possibilities to counter the threats and challenges to peace, security and sustainable development that are related to each of us.

Explaining SCO as a model for successful regional cooperation, Uzbekistan, President said that international cooperation that lays in the interest of everyone is impossible without multilateral institutions.

Despite the certain shortcomings, they continue to serve as the most important agents of interaction between the countries – at the regional and global levels. The international and regional organizations help countries to overcome the differences and strengthen mutual understanding, to develop political and economic cooperation, to expand trade, and stimulate cultural and humanitarian exchanges.

These are the goals and objectives that are pursued by one of the youngest multilateral institutions – the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). In fact, it is a unique interstate structure that has managed to unite countries.

The SCO family is the world’s largest regional Organization, which has united a huge geographical space and about half of the population of our planet. The SCO’s international attractiveness is its non-bloc status, openness, equality, respect for the sovereignty of all participants, refusal to interfere in the internal affairs, and prevention of political confrontation and unhealthy rivalry.

The economic value of the SCO is enhanced by the self-sufficiency of its space, where there are dynamically developing economies of the world with huge human, intellectual and technological potential and the existence of large volumes of unused natural resources.

Today, the total GDP of the SCO member states has reached about a quarter of the global figure. This is already a very solid contribution to the global sustainable development from a regional organization that has just crossed its 20-year threshold.

In a world with new challenges and opportunities, the SCO has excellent prospects for transformation and growth through quantitative replenishment and the opening of new strategic vectors. These are transport and connectivity, energy, food and environmental security, innovations, digital transformation, and green economy.

Highlighting Uzbekistan’s Chairmanship for common success through joint development, he said accepting the responsible mission of Chairmanship in the SCO, the Uzbekistan has relied on the strategy of advancing the development of the Organization by opening up new horizons for cooperation and launching usage of untapped reserves that each of its members has.

Our slogan is “The SCO is strong if each of us is strong.” Implementing this, we have made serious efforts to make the Organization stronger from the inside and more attractive to our international partners from the outside.

“I would say even more. Uzbekistan’s Chairmanship in the SCO is a logical continuation of an active and open foreign policy course that has been pursued by our country in the last six years.

This policy is embodied, above all, in Central Asia, the geographical core of SCO, where positive and irreversible processes of strengthening good neighborliness and cooperation are now taking place. All SCO member states are our closest neighbors, friends, and strategic partners”.

The Chairmanship has given us an excellent opportunity to strengthen multilateral collaboration further, expand bilateral cooperation with each of them, and set new targets for even deeper partnership.

The construction of the trans-Afghan corridor could become a symbol of such mutually beneficial inter-regional cooperation. It is also important to understand that by implementing joint infrastructure projects such as the Termez – Mazar-i-Sharif – Kabul – Peshawar railroad, we are not just solving socio-economic, transport, and communication problems but also making a significant contribution to ensuring regional security, Uzbekistan President added.

The ancient city of Samarkand, the jewel of the Great Silk Road, is ready to welcome the leaders of fourteen countries with new breakthrough proposals and initiatives designed to serve for good and prosperity of the SCO and each of its members.
Undoubtedly, this legendary city will open another chapter of the SCO success story. The glorious historical heritage of Samarkand will contribute to this.

Relying on the experience of our many years of joint work, “we are confident that the Samarkand SCO summit will set an example of how we can launch a new, inclusive dialogue based on the principles of mutual respect, trust and constructive cooperation for the sake of common security and prosperity” he added.

The Samarkand spirit is designed to complement the very Shanghai spirit naturally. “We are full of optimism and are convinced that the decisions of the upcoming summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organization will make a feasible contribution to strengthening the dialogue, mutual understanding, and cooperation both at the regional level and on a global scale,” the President concluded.

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