Post Moscow Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit 2020 Outcomes and Way Forward.

A Webinar was conducted on "Post Moscow Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit 2020-Outcomes and Way Forward" by Centre for SCO Studies-Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies in collaboration with PakistanSCO Friendship Forum on 13rd November, 2020. A panel of experts from international speakers put forward their views and thoughts on the outcomes and opportunities of Post Moscow SCO Summit. The Webinar was designed to know the contours of SCO Summit, its impact on regional and global level and in what ways SCO's platform can be utilized in order to combat the challenges of COVID-19 pandemic. Miss Farhat Asif, Founder and President of the Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies (IPDS), was the moderator of the webinar.

The distinguished panel of speakers comprised: A.G. BaklanovAmbassador Deputy Head of the Russian Diplomats Associations, Dr. Ding Yi-Research Associate China Shanghai Cooperation Organization; Training Base for International Judicial Exchanges and Cooperation, Faisal Niaz TirmiziNational Coordinator Shanghai Cooperation Organization; Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan, Dr. Andrey Kortunov-Director General Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) and Roshan Taj Humayun-PhD. Research Scholar, Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University Turke.

In her introductory note, Ms. Farhat Asif eloquently described that SCO is one of the largest regional organization including 42% of the world population and 20% of global GDP. She added that IPDS established several centers such as SCO Studies and Pak-SCO Friendship Forum. Furthermore, these centers are important for regional collaboration.

Dr. Andrey Kortunov-Director General Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) said that SCO is an organization that promotes multilateralism. He then articulated three significant features of the organization. First, flexibility; SCO doesn't have fake layers and ready to cooperate in challenges as compare to UN. Second, selectivity; SCO is selective and catch members with specific issues and directions that they would like to participate. Third, openness; the candidates and partnerships are open in SCO and this additional strength of SCO can be fruitful. Furthermore, he explained that digitization was also discussed in the Summit and it is difficult to separate security and development but it is important for organization to have both as its agenda. However, the members' states' in the Summit also discussed SCO development as an organization...