On July 4, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev spoke at a meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, the presidential press service said.
At the beginning of his remarks, the head of state welcomed the completion of procedures for Belarus’ accession to the SCO.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized that the current summit is taking place in the context of an aggravated international situation.
“New destructive conflicts are emerging, challenges and threats to global and regional security are intensifying. This is happening against the backdrop of decreasing mutual trust between states, increasing confrontation and rivalry and, as a result, growing geopolitical tension. The norms and principles of international law are being violated more and more often,” said the Uzbek leader.
“Unfortunately, the tools available to the international community have lost their effectiveness in resolving growing crises and problems,” the president emphasized. “In such difficult conditions, it is extremely important to maintain and further strengthen our commitment to the basic principles of the SCO, thanks to which the Organization’s current successes, its high authority and stabilizing role in international affairs have become possible.”
The Uzbek leader underscored that he considered it important to continue to adhere to the fundamental principles of the “Shanghai Spirit” - mutual trust and mutual benefit, equality, respect for the diversity of cultures and the desire for common development, to maintain the inviolability of the principle of consensus when making decisions, the non-aligned status of the organization, its openness, non-direction against third countries, equality and respect for the sovereignty of all participants, regardless of their economic, military and political potential.
“In today’s realities, it is important to prevent the SCO’s from weakening. We must strengthen the cohesion of the “SCO family”, make maximum use of the emerging opportunities, consistently implementing the principle of joint development,” Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized.
The President of Uzbekistan dwelled on the current tasks facing the SCO.
First. Finding New Approaches to Security
“In the context of an unprecedented deficit of trust at the global level, the need to find new approaches to ensuring our common security increases,” the head of state said.
“Therefore, today, more than ever, the Samarkand solidarity initiative put forward by us in the name of common security and prosperity is relevant. We believe that the adoption of the SCO Code of Good Neighbourliness, Trust and Cross-Border Partnership will help strengthen dialogue and further deepen multilateral cooperation in the new realities,” he added.
Earlier, the President of Uzbekistan announced the Samarkand Solidarity Initiative at the SCO summit in Samarkand in 2022. “Its goal is to involve in a global dialogue everyone who cares about our common future, who is ready, despite differences, to seek agreed approaches and solutions,” Shavkat Mirziyoyev explained then.
Second. Achieving a strategic breakthrough in the economic dimension.
“We believe that the time has come to develop an Agreement on Facilitation of Trade Procedures within the SCO. It could include joint measures to eliminate trade barriers, bring closer technical regulations and certification, phytosanitary and veterinary control systems,” the Uzbek leader expressed his opinion.
In addition, the President proposed, taking into account the global trend in the development of cross-border e-commerce, to prepare a program of cooperation in this area with the integration of existing digital trading platforms.
Third. Support for industrial cooperation programs.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev proposed developing a set of measures to stimulate mutual investments, primarily in infrastructure, high-tech industries and the service sector.
While, it is important to think through the mechanisms of financial support for such projects and return to consideration of the issues of creating the SCO Fund and Development Bank,” he underscored.
Fourth. Formation of an inclusive transport system along the East-West and North-South lines
“Multiple options of transport corridors are the most important condition for the sustainable development of our entire region,” he emphasized, also proposing the development of a Plan for the digitalization of logistics procedures, including the organization of electronic exchange of data on goods moved across the borders of the SCO countries.
Fifth. Expansion of modern and reliable energy infrastructure in the SCO space.
“In Uzbekistan, we have adopted a large program for the accelerated development of green energy, annually introducing about two gigawatts of solar and wind generation capacity. We have begun work on a project for the industrial production of “green” hydrogen,” the country’s president said.
He proposed developing a Comprehensive Cooperation Plan to stimulate the attraction of investments and technologies in renewable energy.
Sixth. Accelerated digital transformation.
“In our opinion, the transition to a digital economy, the introduction of artificial intelligence and advanced IT solutions are of decisive importance for the competitiveness of our countries,” said Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
To exchange knowledge, experience and best practices, as well as develop systemic interaction between IT parks, he advocated the development of the SCO Future Technologies program.
Seventh. Adoption of the “road map” for cooperation between the SCO countries in the field of social development and protection.
“I am confident that the implementation of specific tasks to improve living standards and develop territories, primarily rural areas, will be a common contribution to achieving the goals of the 2030 Agenda,” said the head of Uzbekistan.
Eighth. Development of a joint SCO Food Security Atlas electronic platform.
The platform is expected to combine data on the agro-industrial potential of our countries in terms of products produced and supply capabilities.
Separately, the President again focused on the topic of security.
“It is necessary to continue close coordination of the work of the competent authorities of our countries in the fight against modern challenges and security threats, including through the SCO RATS,” said Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
“I would like to dwell on the state of affairs in neighboring Afghanistan as an integral part of Central Asia, which directly affects regional stability. Differences in approaches to building relations with the current Afghan authorities are known. I am convinced that maintaining a dialogue with Kabul is in the interests of security and economic development of the entire region. More and more countries are beginning to realize this,” the President of Uzbekistan emphasized.
In this regard, he again proposed to resume the work of the SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group.
