On August 20, 2021 the Center for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan in the framework of the Basic Plan of Action of the Republic of Tajikistan for the SCO Chairmanship in 2020-2021 held an International scientific and practical conference dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, entitled «20 Years of the SCO: from Regional Forum to Global Recognition» by videoconference.
The following issues were discussed at the Conference:
- SCO: 20 years of achievements and prospects for cooperation
- The role of the SCO in deepening good neighbourly relations, friendship and cooperation in the region
- The SCO and the prospects of regional security
- Strengthening of cooperation of the SCO countries in trade, financial and investment spheres
- Expansion of cooperation in the transport, energy and agricultural sectors in the SCO region
- Development of cooperation in the fields of education, culture and science within the SCO framework
The Director of the Centre for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Dr. Khurshed Ziyoyi, opened the videoconference with welcoming remarks to the participants of the event.
After than representatives of 11 countries, especially National coordinator of the Republic of Tajikistan to SCO Saidmurodzoda Ahmad, SCO Secretary-General Vladimir Norov, former SCO Secretary-General (2016-2018) Rashid Alimov, Director of the Institute of Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Son Zhuang Zhi, Director of the Centre for East Asian and SCO Studies of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (U) of the Foreign Ministry of Russia Alexander Lukin, Deputy director of the Institute of Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sanjar Valiev, Director of the National Institute for Strategic Studies of the Kyrgyz Republic Uran Akhmetov, Deputy Director of the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Sanat Kushkumbayev, Executive Director of the Islamabad Institute of Strategic Studies of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Khalid Mahmood and Deputy Director General of the Council on Foreign Relations of India Sumen Bagchi took the floor.
The first session of the conference «20 Years of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization: a Unique Experience of Neighborliness for Friendship and Universal Security» was held under the moderating of the Director of the Center for Geopolitical Studies of the Russian-Tajik (Slavonic) University, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor Maitdinova G. M. This section included the speech of Deputy Director of the Center for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Doctor of Political Sciences, Professor Muhammadzoda P. A. on the topic «The Role of the SCO in the Context of the solving of Afghan Crisis», Director of the East Asian and Shanghai Cooperation Organization Studies of the MSIIR (U) of the MFA of Russian Federation Lukin A.V. on the topic «Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Greater Eurasia», Director of the Center for Political and International Studies of the MFA of IR Iran Sayyidmuhammad Kozim Sajodpur on the topic “Shanghai and the simultaneous vertical and horizontal evolution of International Relations”, Vice-president of China Academy of International Affairs Jun In on the topic “SCO and Prospects for Regional Security”, deputy Director of the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kushkumbaev S.K. on the topic «SCO and CICA: Trade and Economic Potential for Solving Security Problems in Asia», director of the Department for Cooperation on security and countering new challenges and threats of the CIS Executive Committee Burov A.A. on the topic «On topical issues of interaction between the CIS, SCO and CSTO in the field of regional security», head of the Department of Multilateral Cooperation and Global Challenges of the Foreign Policy Department of the Belarusian Institute for Strategic Studies Yarmolinsky Y.M. on the topic “Expansion and strengthening of mutually beneficial cooperation between the Republic of Belarus and the SCO as an effective instrument of the national “turn to Asia”, head of Department of the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Salyamov Amir on the topic «SCO and Prospects for Regional Cooperation in Central Asia» and research Fellow, Indian Council of World Affairs Athar Zafar on the topic «SCO in 20 Years: Growing Role in Regional Cooperation».
The second session of the event, titled «20 Years of SCO: New Horizons of Cooperation and Regional Interaction», was moderated by Deputy Director of the Institute of Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sanjar Valiev. Presentations were made by Yang Cheng, director of the Eurasian Studies Unit, Shanghai University of International Studies, PRC “New Agenda for SCO in a disorderly world: A Chinese Perspective”, Alexey Maslov, acting Director of the Institute for the Far East of the Russian Academy of Sciences “New and promising formats of interaction in the field of science and education”, Maitdinova Guzel Maitdinovna, director of the Center for Geopolitical Research, Russian-Tajik Slavonic University “The role of the SCO in deepening international cooperation in Central Asia: vectors of interaction and prospects”, Akhtar Navoz Junjua, representative of the Islamabad Institute for Strategic Studies “SCO and the prospect of regional security”, Nagi Akhmadov, senior advisor, Center for Analysis of International Relations of the Republic of Azerbaijan “20 years of SCO: a view from Azerbaijan”, Parkhomchik Lidiya Andreevna, head of the Almaty Office of the Institute of World Economy and Politics (IMEP) under the Nursultan Nazarbayev Foundation «SCO as an effective security mechanism in Eurasia», Omurkulov Azamat Kachkynalievich, researcher, National Institute for Strategic Studies of the Kyrgyz Republic “The potential and prospects for the development of the SCO in 4 the field of security”, Sun Li, research fellow, Institute for Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences “Cooperation in the field of security within the SCO”, Shabdanov Ilyas Asankulovich, representative of the Secretariat of the SCO RATS “SCO RATS: experience of international cooperation in the fight against terrorism, separatism and extremism», Salimov Farrukh, head of the Department of Diplomacy and Foreign Policy of the Republic of Tajikistan, Tajik National University “SCO and issues of strengthening regional security in Central Asia”.
Participants of the international scientific conference shared their views on the presentations and assessed the status and prospects for further development of SCO activities. At the same time, the participants noted the importance of coordination, exchange of information and mutual assistance in order to eliminate negative social and economic consequences of the pandemic, collective countering to terrorism and extremism in the region, strengthening of mutually beneficial cooperation in political, trade and economic and security spheres, as well as effective realization of economic, transport and transit, cultural, educational and tourist potential of the SCO member states.
The Director of the Center for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan Khurshed Ziyoyi summed up and closed the International Scientific-Practical Conference and expressed hope that the event would facilitate strengthening of mutually beneficial cooperation among the Shanghai Cooperation Organization member-states.
The event was held in the spirit of sincerity, mutual trust and trustful dialogue.
Press Service of the Center for Strategic
research under the President
Republic of Tajikistan
