The Shanghai cooperation organization (SCO) reached a new development trajectory during the summit in Qingdao (June 2018). For the very first time, the leaders of the Organization held a discussion around key issues of the global and regional agenda in the format of the new "big eight.” As the organization approaches its next summit, which will be held in mid-June this year, in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic, there are varied opinions and judgements pertaining to whether the SCO can“keep up the bar high on successful interaction established in Qingdao”. At the same time, experts have widely attributed the achievements of the SCO in Qingdao to China’s political “weight” on the world stage and its economic power, as well as the full participation of India and Pakistan in the SCO.
As it is well known, the expansion of the SCO has changed the regional profile of the organization to a global scale, enhancing its quality and dynamics. In this regard, skeptics are inclined to conclude that the Bishkek summit will be a mere“routine”, providing no reason to expect any serious steps forward in fostering cooperation within the SCO framework. In their opinion, given the consensual nature of decision-making within the SCO, a raging conflict between India and Pakistan, which emerged in February 2019 and threatened to move into a “hot phase, could have a significant impact on the results of the summit. In addition to this conflict, other events between the two summits became a serious test for the member states of the organization, fastened by the“Shanghai spirit”. Let us try to give an impartial look at the state of affairs in the largest transregional organization on the planet.
Firstly, the world continues to change rapidly. The global political and economic tensions are growing and becoming more and more difficult to predict. Due to the growing unilateral protectionist measures, the“trade wars” declared by the United States on a broad front, the continuing practice of applying politicized sanctions and some other factors, the global economy and international trade are experiencing a great amount of“stress” and strong overstrain. Secondly, the threat of international terrorism is not diminishing. The new dangerous form of international terrorism-cyberterrorism and the use of the Internet to spread terrorist ideologies are being developed. Drug trafficking is also increasing. Thirdly, the risk of an arms race with all its possible consequences is quite high.
2. It is obvious that the increasing non-traditional challenges and security threats are becoming more cross-border, thus requiring joint and concerted action. Happening at the same time in the world, on the one hand, there is a growing lack of trust and constructive cooperation in countering modern threats and global problems; on the other hand, there are examples of close coordination. The SCO, in spite of “side criticism”, continues to demonstrate an example of mutually respectful partnership in which the national, regional and global interests of the participants of the organization are mostly intertwined.
The SCO does not seek to surprise the world with loud statements, but it is consistently attempting to strengthen the mechanisms of cooperation within the organization and develop its external relations. The goals of the SCO are clear and understandable: active participation in the construction of international relations of a new type, based on the principles and norms of international law.
The SCO closely fits into the modern architecture of international relations. As an influential and responsible participant, it is increasing its contribution to peace and security efforts. Yet, the key principles remain: equality, respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-interference in the internal affairs of states, and renunciation of using force or the threat of using it. This was also discussed at the high-level special event,“The UN and the SCO: Cooperation for the strengthening of Peace, Security and Stability” held by the Kyrgyz side in New York on November 27, 2018.
It is important that the events at the UN headquarters and at other UN sites - in Vienna and Bangkok - are part of the tradition. The two organizations - global and regional - complement each other's efforts in the areas in which they are most interested in. For example, in Qingdao, a Memorandum of mutual understanding on the cooperation between the SCO Secretariat and UNESCO was signed. In Bishkek, the course towards strengthening cooperation with the UN specialized agencies is expected to be secured by the signing of Memorandums of Understanding of the SCO Secretariat with the World Tourism Organization, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the UN Economic Commission for Europe.
Thus, the horizon of cooperation with the UN is expanding significantly. In the early years, the UN-SCO interaction mainly focused on strengthening global cooperation in the fight against terrorism, drug trafficking and transportation interconnection in the region; and now, the interaction with the global organization will cover new areas. It is important that they coincide with the previously approved long-term cooperation programs within the framework of the SCO. This is an example of combining regional and global efforts to counter non-traditional challenges and the 2030 development Agenda. The SCO, as we see, proves itself to be a good example for other regional organizations. This also concerns a sensitive issue for the world community, such as the situation in Afghanistan.
As it is known, the SCO places great importance to the further intensification of the work of the mechanisms for dialogue and cooperation on an Afghan settlement. The Protocol of the Shanghai cooperation organization and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on the SCO – Afghanistan Contact Group was signed in Qingdao. In Bishkek, the parties are expected to sign a “Road Map”with the Afghan side for further actions of the Contact Group. This is not just“the next step in the right direction,” there is great and scrupulous joint work behind it.
The SCO is consistently increasing its comprehensive cooperation in the fight against illicit cultivation, production, manufacturing and trafficking of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors. Purposeful work is continuing on the formation of an effectively functioning system of joint fight against the threat of drugs. The second SCO Anti-Drug Strategy for 2018-2023 and the Action Program for its implementation was approved in Qingdao; the SCO Concept on the Prevention of Drug and Psychotropic Substance Abuse was adopted. During the Kyrgyz presidency, the Paris Pact Initiative received a new dimension, in which the participants from 30 countries and international organizations were gathered for the first time at SCO headquarters (Beijing, November 2018). This was another recognition by the international community of the SCO’s practical contribution to deepening anti-drug cooperation in various fields and the joint efforts to search for solutions to regional and international drug problems.
The SCO RATS continues to expand its international relations. A Memorandum of Cooperation with the Executive Directorate of the counter-terrorism Committee of the UN Security Council was signed in March this year.The entry into the forces of the SCO Convention on Countering Extremism will also be announced in Bishkek; this will open up additional opportunities for implementing the Program of Cooperation of the SCO Member States in Countering Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism for 2019-2021 adopted at the Qingdao summit.
It is important that the SCO consistently promotes the idea of a single global anti-terrorism front. However, there are“obstacles.” One of which is the lack of consensus in the community of nations on the adoption of the UN Comprehensive Convention against International Terrorism. Actual initiatives of the SCO member States, including the initiative of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the adoption of the UN “Code of conduct for achieving peace, free from terrorism” is a significant step towards it. In general, through strengthening the legal framework and activities in the international arena, primarily within the UN, the SCO demonstrates an example of collective efforts in the fight against international terrorism. The Bishkek summit will confirm this trunk line.
The economy of the SCO member states is an inseparable part of the global economy, the problems of which directly affect each country separately and the SCO area as a whole. Logically, the Organization has consistently advocated the strengthening of the WTO and the multilateral trading system based on its rules. The fragmentation of global trade, trade protectionism, the use of economic sanctions to achieve unilateral benefits unacceptable for the SCO member states.
In recent years, the dynamics of economic cooperation within the framework of the SCO lagged far behind the level of cooperation achieved in the field of security. In many respects, this was due to a weakened legal and regulatory framework for trade and economic relations, the need to strengthen transport connectivity and address a whole range of other issues. At the SCO summit in Qingdao, over half of the adopted documents were devoted to further strengthening the potential of trade, economic and investment relations in the Organization. The heads of the SCO member states set specific tasks aimed at expanding and deepening cooperation in the financial and investment, transport and energy, agricultural and other fields. Priority approaches were identified in the Joint Statement of the Heads of the SCO Member States on Trade Facilitation from June 10, 2018.
A direction for active promotion of cooperation within the framework of the SCO in the field of trade in services and electronic commerce has been set. In the period between Qingdao and Bishkek summits, regional cooperation reached a new level. For the first time, the heads and representatives of the regions of the SCO member states met in Chelyabinsk (Russia) and Chongqing (China), which resulted in the development of a program for the development of interregional cooperation of the SCO member states. There is a massive potential in the cooperation of the regions. Special attention will be paid to the implementation of projects that ensure the expansion of the transport and communication capabilities of the SCO region, including with the involvement of the potential observer states and dialogue partners. Taking into account the expansion of the SCO, work will continue on the formation and functioning of an integrated transport management system. As well as the Concept of interaction between railway administrations (railways) of the SCO member states.
The SCO is paying increasing attention to the issues of improving cooperation in the field of agriculture. In Qingdao, a mechanism was launched to develop a program of cooperation of the SCO member states on food security (adopted by the heads of government in Dushanbe, October 12, 2018). This work needs to be continued: develop a legal regulatory framework, to establish information exchange and implement measures for training specialists.
One of the most anticipated issues is the creation of the Development Fund (Special Account) of the SCO and the SCO Development Bank. Consultations on this topic (as well as the creation of the SCO Energy Club) have been going on for years, but no consensus decision has been found. More often, within the framework of the SCO talk about expanding the practice of using national currencies in mutual settlements between the SCO member states, and work is underway to develop an appropriate Roadmap. At the same time, the lack of SCO's own Bank does not prevent the development of cooperation between micro, small and medium businesses, measures to stimulate, which were outlined at the summit in Qingdao. The Small Business Forum of the regions of the SCO and BRICS countries (Ufa, October 18-19, 2018) and the SCO Business Forum in Bishkek (May 17, 2019) confirmed the interest of the business community in expanding the areas of cooperation. The Business Council and the SCO Interbank Association continue to act as coordinating centers of business activity in the SCO area.
In the period between Qingdao and Bishkek, the Second International Cooperation Forum “One Belt, One Road”was held, which turned into a global event: distinguished guests and delegates from most countries and international organizations attended the forum, including the UN Secretary General and the Director International Monetary Fund. The SCO member states (except for India), together with China, are actively involved in promoting the Initiative, as well as in linking the Eurasian Economic Union and national development strategies with this global project. The Chinese Initiative has a great future; its joint implementation in interested “family” countries of the SCO already has a positive effect on their economic development.
It is important that despite the objective and subjective reasons, internal and external factors, the economic locomotive of the SCO continues to gain speed and is confidently pursuing the course determined by the leaders of the organization’s member states.
Preparations for the SCO summit in Qingdao brought to life many initiatives aimed at strengthening dialogue and cultural and humanitarian cooperation. The forums of women, political parties and mass media have caused a tremendous positive resonance; the relations in scientific and technical, cultural, humanitarian and tourist spheres have been further developed. The initiatives intensified women's and youth movements, strengthened the relationship between journalists, cultural workers, artists, science and education.
It is vital that within the framework of the leadership of the Kyrgyz Republic, these Initiatives have found their continuation; new content enriched Forums of women and media representatives of the SCO countries, which took place in May in Bishkek. The expected signing at the Bishkek Summit, the Agreement between the governments of the SCO member states on cooperation in the field of mass media will bring the interaction of mass media to a qualitatively new level.
Among the traditions of the sport established in the framework of the SCO, the Kunming International Marathon can be safely attributed, which the participants of the marathon on the shore of the unique alpine lake Issyk-Kul have overcome their distance on the way to Bishkek. It is gratifying that mass sports events logically fit into the multifaceted activities of the SCO, as they promote dialogue between nations, play an essential important role in positioning the SCO on the international stage. In this context, it is quite expected that the Agreement on cooperation in the framework of the SCO in the field of physical training and sports will be signed in Bishkek.
The summit in Qingdao, in particular, the Joint Appeal of the Heads of the SCO Member States to the youth and the Action Program for its implementation (dated June 10, 2018) adopted at it, gave a new impetus to the cooperation of youth organizations. The SCO Youth Council has intensified its activities. Launched the start of the project "SCO Youth map"; successfully carried out the Assembly of youth representatives of the SCO (Shanghai, Dunfan, November 9-11, 2018), the IV youth forum of universities of SCO member States (Moscow, May 2019), III international festival "Student spring of the SCO countries and the BRICS"(Moscow, 4-9 June 2019). The Republic of Uzbekistan has taken the initiative to prepare a draft UN Convention on the Rights of Young People.
The SCO is deeply aware of the importance of working with the younger generation, transferring to the young boys and girls the enduring values of the “Shanghai spirit,” personifying mutual trust, equality, mutual benefit, equality of rights, mutual consultation, respect for the diversity of cultures and the desire for joint common development. More than 800 million boys and girls from 15 to 24 years old live in the SCO “family” countries. They will have to carefully protect and strengthen good-neighborliness, friendship and cooperation, mutual respect for cultural and civilizational diversity and social values, confidential dialogue and effective partnership of the SCO member states. In the face of fundamental changes in world affairs, this task is critical.
A review of the activities of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization for the year that expired after the SCO summit in Qingdao shows that the organization does not stand still, but develops, acquires new facets, strengthens its authority in the international arena. The SCO is consistently increasing cooperation in the fields of politics and security, economics, cultural and humanitarian ties, and is increasingly becoming one of the influential participants in the modern system of international relations.
Following the SCO summit in Qingdao, 23 documents were adopted - a record one in the history of the organization. More than 20 draft documents covering various spheres of SCO activities have been prepared for Bishkek, and this reflects the tremendous joint work of the member states, their collective commitment to unleash further the potential of the SCO, and to strengthen cooperation. The secret of success and achievements of the SCO in coordinated joint activities, focues on the achievement of a practical result.
After the SCO summit in Bishkek, the chairmanship in the organization will go to Russia. It has been announced that the summit will be held in June 2020 in Chelyabinsk. Preparation for it is gaining momentum. There are a deep comprehension and analysis of the SCO Development Strategy, which in 2020, will be five years old. It is well known that the Strategy was adopted before the expansion of the SCO. Many changes have occurred in the world and region. The history of the SCO is the history of an organization that goes its own way towards clear goals. The SCO has a great future.
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