Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)

26-08-2023

12:25 PM

1 min read

Why in News?

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has called on the nations of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to adopt a collective approach to disaster resilience by pooling resources and expertise and avoiding the duplication of efforts.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is a permanent intergovernmental international organisation, established in 2001.
It is built on the foundation laid by the Shanghai Five grouping of Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
The five countries had come together to work on regional security, reduction of border troops, and terrorism in the post-Soviet era in 1996.
In 2001, the “Shanghai Five” inducted Uzbekistan into the group and named it the SCO, outlining its principles in a charter that promoted what was called the “Shanghai spirit” of cooperation.

To strengthen mutual trust and neighbourliness among the member states
To promote effective cooperation in politics, trade & economy, research & technology and culture
To enhance ties in education, energy, transport, tourism, environmental protection, etc.
To maintain and ensure peace, security and stability in the region
To establish a democratic, fair and rational new international political & economic order

The Heads of State Council (HSC) is the supreme decision-making body in the SCO, it meets once a year.
The Council of Heads of Government is the second-highest council in the organisation.
The Council of Foreign Ministers hold regular meetings, where they discuss the current international situation.
Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS), based in Tashkent, is established to combat terrorism, separatism and extremism.
Official working languages: Chinese, Russian
SCO Secretariat: Beijing, China

Image Caption: Members of SCO

8 member states: China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, Pakistan.
- India and Pakistan became full members at the Heads of State Council meet in Astana in 2017.
- Iran will be the newest member (9^th) of the SCO, when it joins the forum in April 2023 under the chairmanship of India.
4 Observer members: Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, Mongolia
- In 2021, the procedure of granting Iran the status of Member State was started at the SCO Summit in Dushanbe.
- In 2022, a similar procedure was launched for Belarus at the SCO Summit in Samarkand
9 Dialogue Partners —Azerbaijan, Armenia, Egypt, Cambodia, Qatar, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Sri Lanka.
In 2022, the procedure for granting the status of Dialogue Partners to Bahrain, Kuwait, Maldives, Myanmar and the United Arab Emirates was initiated at the SCO Summit in Samarkand.

The head of departments of member-states of the SCO under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister Amit Shah met in New Delhi.
The aim of the meeting was to discuss the Prevention and Elimination of Emergency Situations.
- At the 2022 SCO Summit in Samarkand (Uzbekistan), India assumed the rotational chairmanship of the SCO.
He called on the members to adopt a collective approach to disaster resilience by pooling resources and expertise and avoiding the duplication of efforts.
He said that India attaches special importance to disaster risk reduction and is ready to share its expertise and experience in this field for greater cooperation.
He also listed five major areas in which SCO members can work –
- Confidence-building efforts in Asia,
- Collective responsibility approach,
- Expanding cooperation in communication and information sharing,
- Identification of priority areas, and
- Use of newly developed technology in disaster resilience capacity building.
The home minister further said that India’s priority as the chair of the SCO is to take forward the SECURE theme articulated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Qingdao Summit of the SCO in 2018.
SECURE stands Security, Economic cooperation, Connectivity, Unity, Respect for sovereignty and integrity, and Environment protection.

The Caspian Sea is bordered by five countries: Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Azerbaijan, and Russia.

INDO-UZBEKISTAN joint military exercise is called 'DUSTLIK'. It was held recently in February, 2023 in Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand.

Source: SCO members must pool resources, expertise on disaster resilience: Amit Shah| Economic Times