SCO Marks 25th Anniversary With Bishkek Declaration, Reaffirms Support for Multipolar World
Dragon Media News Desk
Leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation member states have adopted the Bishkek Declaration marking the SCO’s 25th anniversary, reaffirming their commitment to the UN Charter, international law, multilateral cooperation and the development of a more representative and just multipolar world order.
The declaration was signed following the meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State in Bishkek on September 1. It states that over the past quarter-century, the organisation has passed through a major stage of institutional and conceptual development and has established itself as a widely recognised and dynamically developing multilateral association with a growing role in regional and international affairs.
The member states pledged to continue strengthening the SCO in line with the organisation’s Development Strategy through 2035. They also reaffirmed the central role of the United Nations in maintaining international peace and security, promoting sustainable development and contributing to a more representative, democratic and equitable system of global governance.
The declaration calls for joint efforts to address both traditional and emerging security threats. It expresses concern over growing risks in the information sphere and strongly opposes the militarisation of information and communications technologies as well as threats to critical information infrastructure.
The SCO leaders also stressed the need for the safe and responsible use of artificial intelligence. The declaration states that AI technologies should not be used deliberately to harm human life and health or undermine the national security, territorial integrity and sovereignty of states.
The member states opposed unilateral coercive measures that they said run counter to the UN Charter, international law and the principles of the World Trade Organization. According to the declaration, such measures can undermine food, energy and humanitarian security and have negative consequences for the global economy.
The declaration also supports reform of the international financial architecture to increase the representation and role of developing countries in the governing bodies of major international financial institutions, including the International Monetary Fund and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
The declaration was endorsed by the leaders of Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
The SCO member states also supported initiatives to hold commemorative events in 2028 marking the 200th anniversary of the birth of Russian writer Leo Tolstoy and the 100th anniversary of the birth of Kyrgyz writer Chingiz Aitmatov, recognising their contributions to world literature, humanistic values and cultural ties among peoples.
