Shavkat Mirziyoyev calls for stronger security, trade and cooperation initiatives at SCO summit

On September 1, at the SCO summit in Tianjin, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev presented a number of initiatives, including:

• improving the efficiency of SCO institutions and expanding the organization through cooperation with the Global South;

• adopting a declaration on nuclear security;

• restoring the activities of the Council of Ministers of Internal Affairs;

• preparing a counter-narcotics program until 2030;

• activating the SCO–Afghanistan dialogue group;

• signing an agreement on trade facilitation procedures;

• establishing a regional center for strategic materials;

• creating an energy consortium;

• developing a network of venture companies and funds;

• launching a dedicated electronic investment portal;

• developing transport and transit corridors along the North–South and East–West routes, forming a “unified SCO transport space” aligned with the Belt and Road Initiative;

• introducing a regional SCO platform to apply artificial intelligence technologies for climate change adaptation, decarbonization, and forecasting environmental risks;

• holding an international festival of folk art, establishing an “SCO University” online campus, and organizing competitions and olympiads for students and young specialists;

• implementing the “Tourism Route” and “Medical Tourism Alliance” projects.

The summit also approved the establishment of a permanent body in Tashkent – the Universal Center for Countering Security Threats and Challenges of SCO Member States – based on the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure.

In addition, an SCO Information Security Center will be created under its framework. This decision is expected to take cooperation in the field of security to a new level.