SCO Summit 2023.

Byline: Dr. Farhat Asif

The virtual session of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of State will take place under the chairmanship of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This landmark event marks the first time an Indian Prime Minister will chair the Heads of States Summit. The summit is expected to be attended by esteemed leaders, including President Vladimir Putin of Russia, President Xi Jinping of China, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan, President Sadyr Japarov of Kyrgyzstan, President Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan, and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan.

The summit will also witness the participation of Observer States, including Iran, Belarus, and Mongolia. Russia's Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, has already announced that Iran will be granted full membership with all rights in the SCO, while Belarus is likely to obtain full-member status as well. However, Mongolia, the SCO's first Observer State since 2004, is yet to apply for full membership within the Eurasian body. Bahrain, Kuwait, Myanmar, the Maldives and the UAE are about to join SCO-led cooperation efforts as new dialogue partners. Leaders from six international and regional organizations, including the United Nations, ASEAN, CIS, CSTO, EAEU, and CICA, have been extended invitations. In terms of population and geography, the SCO stands as one of the largest organizations globally, representing nearly 40% of the world's population and covering the entire Eurasian landmass.

Furthermore, the SCO member states collectively contribute around 20% of the world's GDP. Significantly, this region holds substantial reserves, with 25% of global oil reserves, 50% of gas reserves, 35% of coal reserves, and half of the world's uranium reserves located within SCO territories.

With four nuclear powers encompassing a region of profound geopolitical and geostrategic significance, the SCO substantially influences regional security and stability. The theme for this year's summit is "Towards a SECURE SCO," an acronym coined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 2018 SCO Summit. SECURE represents Security, Economy and Trade, Connectivity, Unity, Respect for Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity, and Environment. These themes have been emphasized during India's chairmanship of the SCO. Under this chairmanship, India has established new areas of cooperation, such as startups and innovation, traditional...