Information
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, to discuss regional security and counter Western alliances. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev praised the SCO as a significant and influential international entity. Representing 40% of the global population and about 30% of its GDP, the alliance includes observers and participants like Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. Xi Jinping emphasised the importance of safeguarding development rights amidst global risks and resolving internal differences peacefully. Putin highlighted the SCO’s commitment to a just, multipolar world order. Notably, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not attend, so Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar was sent instead, likely due to the Indian Parliament’s monsoon session.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization, founded in 2001 by China, Russia, and four Central Asian countries, has expanded to include India, Pakistan, Iran, and now Belarus. The summit also included observers like Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. The agenda covered security and economic cooperation, with a particular focus on Afghanistan’s situation since the Taliban’s takeover in 2021. Although no member state has officially recognised the Taliban government, China appointed an ambassador to Kabul and removed the Taliban from its banned organisations list in 2023. Economically, the SCO aims to foster inter-member deals and develop projects connecting China to Europe via Central Asia.
Source: AP, AFP
So what
Much like the BRICS, the SCO is a flawed organisation. Despite Russia and China’s messaging that this group represents the new world order, many of its members do not agree on a wide range of issues. At best, some members are there just to be seen as neutral; at worst, some members openly despise each other and are commonly on the brink of war. So, despite the messaging, it is highly unlikely this group will become the global leadership.
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