SCO - organization guided by principles of trust and respect

The SCO Summit, which will be held in mid-June this year in the capital of Kyrgyzstan, to become a landmark event in the political life of the country. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which have been strengthening its position in the world political arena, is perceived as one of the most authoritative organizations in the world. And the residents of the Kyrgyz Republic believe that multipolar cooperation within the framework of the SCO in the country in the future offers great prospects.
It is known that in June 2018, at SCO Summit in the Chinese city of Qingdao, the chairmanship in the organization moved to Kyrgyzstan.
This is a great responsibility and a real chance for the republic to express itself fully and to demonstrate its great potential. The SCO is an organization for the republics of the former USSR close from a mental point of view. A regional compactness and a mechanism for cooperation and interaction in the fields of economy, education, culture, security creates a unique opportunity for the development. Especially important for the countries of Central Asia, including Kyrgyzstan, is the implementation of large projects under the Xi Jinping’s One Belt, One Road initiative, which is widely supported not only among the SCO countries, but as recent events show, in Europe, in the Middle East, countries of Indochina, Japan, South Korea. These are modern transport communications, power lines, gas pipelines, modern industrial enterprises, the development of trade along the New Silk Road. The cooperation in the framework of the SCO is especially important for Kyrgyzstan, which has defined as a strategy the development of hydropower, mining, and agricultural production. The development of these sectors requires large investments and markets. And cooperation within the framework of the SCO can allow the country not only to attract large capital investments, but also open the way to the sales markets for agricultural products, excess electricity, mining products. Modern transport communications, including railways, which are beginning to connect the republic with all neighboring countries, offer good prospects for doing business along the entire Silk Road.
The 21st century is characterized by cardinal changes in the system of international relations. Modern geopolitical realities predetermined the increasing role of Central Asia in the global security system. Kyrgyzstan, like all SCO member states, perceives the process of globalization and national interests not as mutually exclusive, but rather as complementary structural elements of a developing world pattern. Effective counteraction against non-national threats can only be organized by the collective efforts of the international community.
The SCO is an influential, recognized and authoritative international organization with a constantly growing image. It is recognition and trust that cause more and more countries to become members of this organization. A policy based on respect and trust allows to strengthen its position in the world political arena and successfully build strategic plans for the future.
At the initial stage, all the powers of the organization were subordinated to the achievement of one political goal - security in the region. But over time, other priorities emerged, mainly economic cooperation. Today, new priorities have been identified, both in matters of politics and economy. And everything corresponds to the national interests of Kyrgyzstan.
The SCO is seen for the Kyrgyz Republic as an excellent platform for the implementation of its foreign policy, economic development, culture, social and humanitarian spheres.
The SCO Summit in Bishkek, scheduled for June 14 and 15 of this year, will undoubtedly become the most important event of the year in the political life of Kyrgyzstan. So many influential politicians and high-ranking government officials — presidents, heads of government, and ministers — rarely come to the country at one time.
"We consider the SCO as a platform for establishing mutual trust relations and developing cooperation. The authority of the SCO is strengthening and growing every year. The basis of the Organization is the unity of the member states, trusting partnership and mutual respect," said President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sooronbay Jeenbekov during a meeting with the secretaries of the Security Councils of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states on May 15.
The Kyrgyz President noted that at the upcoming summit special attention should be paid to strengthening the authority of the SCO in the international arena, strengthening cooperation in combating terrorism, extremism, drug trafficking, deepening political, trade, economic, cultural, humanitarian and investment cooperation.
An important item on the agenda will be ensuring security of the SCO countries from new threats, especially terrorism and extremism.
"To achieve significant results in the fight against modern challenges and threats is possible through consistent and systematic work and only by joint and concerted efforts," the President emphasized.
For Kyrgyzstan, active participation in the SCO is a promising and effective economic platform.
Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Mukhammedkalyi Abylgaziev said that the SCO market with a population of over 3 billion people should give a powerful impetus to the development of all countries of the organization.
"Today the GDP of the SCO countries makes 20% of the world level, which is USD 15 trillion, and the economies of countries are growing in average by 5%. For Kyrgyzstan, the cooperation with the SCO countries, above all, is a sustainable economy, successful entrepreneurship and investment, modernization of transport infrastructure and energy, tourism and modern information technologies. To interact in these priority areas, the government has developed and is implementing a whole range of measures," the prime minister said.
The head of government also drew attention to the figures in more detail, saying that the entire volume of trade in Kyrgyzstan in 2018 amounted to USD 6.7 billion. At the same time, with the countries of the SCO - USD 4.7 billion, which makes 71% of the total turnover. At the same time, imports grew by 13%, and exports - by 11%.
"During the past 5 years, trade in general has increased by 7%. These facts suggest that within the framework of the SCO, Kyrgyzstan has a positive dynamic and great potential for increasing trade and, above all, importing products. In addition, over the past years, the SCO countries continue to remain one of the main investment partners of Kyrgyzstan. Thus, in 2018, the volume of foreign direct investment from China made USD 245.4 million, and from Russia - USD 154.4 million. Even from Pakistan, USD 8.9 million was attracted, which is 2.3 times more than the 2017 level. Of course, this is an extremely insufficient level, but at the same time it also indicates the existing potential of the Kyrgyz economy and the SCO countries," the prime minister added.
The upcoming SCO Summit will be an excellent discussion platform, where the most important issues and topics will be raised.
Recently Kyrgyzstan launched the official website of the upcoming summit: http: summit.gov.kg.
Director of the Information Department, official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic, Ulanbek Dyikanbaev told that the official website will allow the public, the international community, media representatives to get acquainted with the information on the activities carried out under the chairmanship of the Kyrgyz Republic in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
Kabar News Agency