Moscow: At their recent meeting in Russia, government leaders from Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member countries called for closer cooperation and voiced opposition to unilateralism. Leaders present at the 24th Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of Member States of the SCO, which concluded on Nov. 18, also expressed their support for a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice, and win-win cooperation.
According to Namibia Press Agency, analysts have noted that more than two decades since its establishment, the SCO is playing an increasingly important role in advancing regional cooperation and championing multilateralism. The organization's distinct model of cooperation, based on the Shanghai Spirit, is recognized as a vital force in promoting regional cooperation and a more equitable international order.
Security is a pivotal area of cooperation among SCO members. Unlike traditional military alliances, security cooperation within the SCO relies on mutual trust and coordination to address transnational threats. Jamshed Toshev, deputy director of Tajikistan's SCO Friendship and Cooperation Center, emphasized that the SCO's security cooperation is based not on military alliances but on mutual trust and coordination. This approach has been crucial in maintaining regional security over the past two decades.
Gulnar Shaimergenova, director of the China Studies Center in Astana, Kazakhstan, highlighted that the SCO advances a cooperation model where all states, regardless of their economic or military strength, have an equal voice. Decisions are made by consensus, respecting each member's sovereignty and opposing interference in internal affairs.
The SCO has also made significant strides in facilitating trade and economic integration, boosting prosperity, and enhancing people-to-people exchanges among member countries. The establishment of the SCO Development Bank is viewed as a key step toward further stimulating economic growth. Alexey Maslov, Director of the Institute of Asian and African Countries at Lomonosov Moscow State University, noted that the bank would provide financing for large-scale infrastructure projects and substantial loans for developing transnational projects in various sectors.
Yekaterina Zaklyazhminskaya, head of the Center for Global Policy and Strategic Analysis at the Institute of China and Contemporary Asia, Russian Academy of Sciences, stated that the SCO serves as a framework for aligning the interests of its member states across a full range of issues, from the economy and security to humanitarian exchanges. She emphasized the focus on integrating processes under the Eurasian Economic Union, the Belt and Road Initiative, and other projects involving SCO member states.
In the realm of multilateralism, the SCO plays a critical role in countering rising protectionism and unilateralism. The Tianjin Declaration issued at the 2025 SCO Summit reflects member states' rejection of coercive measures in international relations and confrontational approaches to global issues, Shaimergenova remarked.
Toshev highlighted that the SCO has proven to be one of the most successful and influential regional cooperation platforms in Eurasia, contributing significantly to developing a multipolar and just world order based on international law and mutual respect. The organization demonstrates that international cooperation can be built on partnership and solidarity rather than confrontation.
Experts from member countries agree that the SCO is a key force in reforming the global governance system. Zaklyazhminskaya pointed out that the organization has demonstrated a high degree of alignment in the interests of its member states, refining its cooperation mechanisms based on the Shanghai Spirit. Through this approach, the SCO plays an important role in advancing the international political and economic order toward greater democracy.