ALMATY – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has called for stronger cooperation within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on security, trade, transport, investment and water, as the organization marks 25 years of development, while experts say its expanding agenda is positioning the SCO as an increasingly important platform in the emerging multipolar international order.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev spoke at the Sept. 1 SCO summit in Bishkek. Photo credit: Akorda. Speaking at the Sept. 1 SCO summit in Bishkek, the Kazakh President described the organization’s evolution from the Shanghai Five into a major international organization spanning much of Eurasia and representing almost half of the world’s population.
“The SCO operates outside the logic of military-political blocs and is not directed against any state. It is based on a completely different political philosophy – the ‘Shanghai Spirit,’ whose foundation is the idea of joint work for the sake of progress,” Tokayev said.
According to Prof. Dr. Zijad Bećirović, director of the International Institute for Middle Eastern and Balkan Studies (IFIMES) in Ljubljana, the organization’s transformation reflects broader changes in the international system. “The transformation of the organisation reflects the wider transformation of the international system.
The SCO has evolved from a regional security mechanism into a broader platform addressing security, trade, energy, investment, connectivity and economic cooperation,” he told the Astana Times. “Its importance is not simply a matter of size. The organisation brings together major political, economic and demographic centers, making it one of the most significant institutional expressions of the emerging multipolar order,” he added.
From regional security to wider cooperation Tokayev also called for stronger mutual trust and security cooperation, noting that the SCO brings together major Eurasian powers whose positions influence the emerging international order. He proposed holding an SCO ministerial conference on strategic stability and confidence-building measures in Eurasia, with discussions potentially covering reducing military risks, preventing a new arms race, and avoiding dangerous incidents.
“Of particular concern is the fact that the consequences of armed conflicts are already extending beyond the immediate zones of hostilities, affecting international markets, commercial shipping, and the sustainability of energy and transport links. This has significantly increased the risk of the cross-border spread of crisis phenomena,” Tokayev said.
Connectivity as a practical area of cooperation Economic and transport cooperation was another major theme of Tokayev’s address. President Tokayev proposed establishing SCO cross-border trade zones based on existing border cooperation centers. Such zones, he said, could test simplified trade procedures, digital processes and modern payment mechanisms.