On Tuesday July 4, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon took part in the next meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which was held in the format of a videoconference chaired by the Republic of India, according to the Tajik president’s official website.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, China’s President Xi Jinping, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and leaders of Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan as well as Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi took part in the online proceedings.

In accordance with the agenda of the meeting, the leaders of the SCO member states discussed the further deepening of multifaceted and mutually beneficial cooperation and exchanged views on topical regional and international issues.

During his speech, President Emomali Rahmon stated that the SCO needs to expand concerted actions based on the principles of mutual respect and mutual benefit, as well as non-direction against other countries and organizations.

The President of Tajikistan noted that the growing attention of the world community to the SCO is a confirmation of its high attractiveness, which embodies the unique interconnectedness of civilizations and cultures.  In this context, Rahmon proposed to develop a concept for further expansion of the SCO in the medium term.

In terms of security, Tajik leader noted the growing threats of terrorism, extremism and separatism in the SCO space, as well as the intensifying trend in drug trafficking, the growth of cybercrime and organized cross-border crime.  Rahmon reportedly stressed the importance of effective implementation of the Program of Cooperation in Combating Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism until 2024, adopted in 2021 in Dushanbe, and continuing comprehensive work to improve the legal framework, taking into account, among other things, the creation of a separate SCO anti-drug structure in Tajikistan’s capital, Dushanbe.

In the context of the economic agenda, he called for the full use of favorable opportunities and competitive advantages for the development of the SCO countries.  Rahmon noted that these tasks form the basis of the SCO Economic Development Strategy for the period up to 2030, initiated by Tajikistan, the implementation of which will ensure a strategic breakthrough for the SCO with an emphasis on the development of a "green" agenda.

In the aspect of humanitarian cooperation, the President of Tajikistan highlighted the importance of preserving and developing the rich cultural heritage of the SCO countries.  He highly appreciated the activities carried out by the Indian side within the framework of the project "Varanasi - the cultural capital of the SCO" and expressed support for the proposal to declare the city of Almaty as the tourist and cultural capital of the CSO for the coming period.

The Tajik president’s official website says that as a result of the summit, the heads of the SCO member states supported the initiative of the President of Tajikistan and approved the SCO Economic Development Strategy for the period up to 2030 by a corresponding decision.

The virtual summit reportedly resulted in adoption of eleven decisions and documents, the main of which are the New Delhi Declaration, granting Iran the status of an SCO member nation and signing a Memorandum of Commitments for Belarus in order to obtain the status of an SCO member state. The heads of state also adopted two statements, in particular on countering radicalization leading to terrorism, separatism and extremism, as well as on cooperation in the field of digital transformation.