Member Countries
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The President of Iran to Pay an Official Visit to Uzbekistan 12.09.2022
On September 14 - 16 this year, at the invitation of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ebrahim Raisi will pay an official visit to our country.
The Uzbek-Iranian top-level talks and other events of the visit program will be held in Samarkand.
It is envisaged that the leaders will consider the issues of further development and strengthening of multifaceted relations between the two countries, as well as pay a special attention to the expansion of practical interaction in trade, cooperation, innovation, transport, energy, tourism and other areas.
As a result of the meeting, it is set to sign a number of joint documents.
On September 15-16, President Ebrahim Raisi will take part in the events of the Samarkand SCO Summit.
Food security in Uzbekistan
Food security: efforts and achievements of Uzbekistan in the development of the agricultural sector
The events of recent years, including the pandemic, have led to the fact that world food security problems have developed into a global food crisis, the characteristic features of which are a wide coverage of countries and territories, a significant increase in grain prices. At the heart of this process is not so much the volume of production as the change in energy prices. As a result, the cost of mineral fertilizers, transportation and other services provided to the agricultural sector has risen sharply. In addition, the supply chain, which has been formed over many years of world trade, has been disrupted.
Exporting countries have begun to direct more into stocks, and importing countries do not have the necessary funds in sufficient quantities to purchase them. According to analysts, this trend will continue in subsequent seasons. Although it is now very difficult to make forecasts not only for the long term, but also for the medium term.
Agricultural production is one of the most conservative sectors of the real economy. Low profitability makes it unattractive for investments, especially private ones. Land fertility, water availability, labor resources and their skills, weather and climate features are the key factors that determine the direction of the agricultural sector and ensure its efficiency. All this together forms the comparative advantages of the industry, which underlie the quantitative and qualitative economic indicators.
Toward the end of the last century, the direction was popular, followed by many international organizations and the agricultural scientific community. Its essence was that small and medium-sized countries (taking into account natural factors) were recommended to produce basically only those products that are dictated by comparative advantages. This formed the basis of world trade in agricultural products. Adherents of another direction argued that each state should strive to produce the basic list of necessary products on its own.
One thing is clear: the current food crisis will affect to a lesser extent those countries that, along with the production of products based on comparative advantages, grow as much as possible strategically important products for their own needs, even if their cost is higher than world prices and it is more profitable to buy them on the side. It is important to ensure the optimal ratio of economic benefits from the production of high-margin crops with food security objectives. After gaining independence, Uzbekistan chose this path. Gradually priorities began to change.
The change in the organizational and legal forms of rural producers made it possible to significantly increase the production of potatoes and other vegetables. And the state policy in the field of animal husbandry has made it possible to increase the provision of own production of meat and milk. In the last five years alone, fish production (the weakest position in the food basket) has tripled. The measures taken to develop the production base made it possible to significantly improve the supply of domestic food products to the population. At the same time, imports of foodstuffs also increased significantly. Our country initially had low levels of food security, plus high population growth rates require great efforts in this direction.
The unfolding food crisis cannot but affect Uzbekistan. With this in mind, among the first in the region and in the post-Soviet space, the leadership of the republic took measures to expand food imports, curb inflation for food products, and create favorable conditions for domestic producers. The main thing is that reforms in agriculture have been enthusiastically continued, measures have been taken more actively on the accumulated and urgent issues that need to be addressed. The most important factor that radically changed the domestic grain market was the decision to abolish the system of its purchase for state needs at non-fixed market prices, adopted in May 2022. This is a long overdue problem, and its solution gave dynamism to agrarian reforms, became an important tool in increasing grain production and ensuring the financial stability of producers.
The next step in the development of the industry should be the possibility for producers themselves to determine the size of areas, types and varieties of grain crops, and the demonopolization of service structures. This will eliminate the legal basis for government intervention in the activities of economic entities and will be even more significant than free pricing.
For a true owner, the possibility of freedom of action is the most important factor. This right should be seen as a significant investment in the industry and in the development of human capital.
The course of the new Uzbekistan on the priority of good-neighborly relations is now perceived with great interest by the countries of the Central Asian region. The political weight and economic opportunities of Uzbekistan are seen as a good opportunity to solve problems on a mutually beneficial basis. A special place among them is occupied by agro-industrial cooperation, the effective use of the comparative advantages of each of the Central Asian states in solving problems of food security. If earlier, speaking about successes in this matter, they focused mainly on the growth of mutual trade, now many other examples can be cited.
Agro-industrial cooperation makes it possible, without being limited at the national level, to use the achievements of other countries and successfully solve common problems. By joining forces, it is possible to achieve an effect that exceeds traditional trading. This is one of the areas of agro-industrial cooperation. However, it should cover not only direct production, but also include a wide range of activities "from the field to the counter."
In recent years, there have been shifts in this direction. In particular, a project is being worked out to create a fruit and vegetable cluster on the territory of two regions of Kazakhstan with the participation of farmers from Uzbekistan. It is planned to allocate about 25 thousand hectares of irrigated farmland for these purposes. Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan have gained certain experience in organizing the storage, processing and transportation of food products. They show interest in building business with our colleagues.
Traditional ties, joint research activities of research institutes of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have gained a new breath in recent years. Thus, joint initiatives are being developed in the field of harmless biological products that heal the soil and increase its fertility by synthesizing organic matter. Agrotechnologies are being developed for the production of lentils and soybeans bred by Kazakh breeders in the conditions of Uzbekistan, pome and stone fruit crops of Uzbek selection - in Kazakhstan. A project is being implemented with the participation of scientists from both countries to develop new varieties of cotton, a joint laboratory for biological plant protection.
Kyrgyzstan is showing great interest in the development of grain growing using Uzbek seeds, as well as early ripe varieties of cotton, seedlings of fruit trees. The similarity of weather and climatic conditions plays an important role here. It is planned to implement a project to create a joint seed-growing enterprise with an area of 256 hectares in Kyrgyzstan to grow seeds of wheat and other grain crops, subject to the copyright of Uzbek breeders. Funds from the Uzbek-Kyrgyz investment fund will be allocated to finance these projects.
The food crisis as a global phenomenon did not emerge spontaneously and is likely to have a long history. We must be ready, using our capabilities and internal resources, as well as relying on international cooperation, to mitigate its consequences. At the same time, this process should be viewed as a chance to give a new breath to the agricultural sector and solve a number of problems.
Nosirjon Yusupov.
Chief Researcher at the International Institute of Central Asia,
Doctor of Economics.
Food security in Uzbekistan
Food security: efforts and achievements of Uzbekistan in the development of the agricultural sector
The events of recent years, including the pandemic, have led to the fact that world food security problems have developed into a global food crisis, the characteristic features of which are a wide coverage of countries and territories, a significant increase in grain prices. At the heart of this process is not so much the volume of production as the change in energy prices. As a result, the cost of mineral fertilizers, transportation and other services provided to the agricultural sector has risen sharply. In addition, the supply chain, which has been formed over many years of world trade, has been disrupted.
Exporting countries have begun to direct more into stocks, and importing countries do not have the necessary funds in sufficient quantities to purchase them. According to analysts, this trend will continue in subsequent seasons. Although it is now very difficult to make forecasts not only for the long term, but also for the medium term.
Agricultural production is one of the most conservative sectors of the real economy. Low profitability makes it unattractive for investments, especially private ones. Land fertility, water availability, labor resources and their skills, weather and climate features are the key factors that determine the direction of the agricultural sector and ensure its efficiency. All this together forms the comparative advantages of the industry, which underlie the quantitative and qualitative economic indicators.
Toward the end of the last century, the direction was popular, followed by many international organizations and the agricultural scientific community. Its essence was that small and medium-sized countries (taking into account natural factors) were recommended to produce basically only those products that are dictated by comparative advantages. This formed the basis of world trade in agricultural products. Adherents of another direction argued that each state should strive to produce the basic list of necessary products on its own.
One thing is clear: the current food crisis will affect to a lesser extent those countries that, along with the production of products based on comparative advantages, grow as much as possible strategically important products for their own needs, even if their cost is higher than world prices and it is more profitable to buy them on the side. It is important to ensure the optimal ratio of economic benefits from the production of high-margin crops with food security objectives. After gaining independence, Uzbekistan chose this path. Gradually priorities began to change.
The change in the organizational and legal forms of rural producers made it possible to significantly increase the production of potatoes and other vegetables. And the state policy in the field of animal husbandry has made it possible to increase the provision of own production of meat and milk. In the last five years alone, fish production (the weakest position in the food basket) has tripled. The measures taken to develop the production base made it possible to significantly improve the supply of domestic food products to the population. At the same time, imports of foodstuffs also increased significantly. Our country initially had low levels of food security, plus high population growth rates require great efforts in this direction.
The unfolding food crisis cannot but affect Uzbekistan. With this in mind, among the first in the region and in the post-Soviet space, the leadership of the republic took measures to expand food imports, curb inflation for food products, and create favorable conditions for domestic producers. The main thing is that reforms in agriculture have been enthusiastically continued, measures have been taken more actively on the accumulated and urgent issues that need to be addressed. The most important factor that radically changed the domestic grain market was the decision to abolish the system of its purchase for state needs at non-fixed market prices, adopted in May 2022. This is a long overdue problem, and its solution gave dynamism to agrarian reforms, became an important tool in increasing grain production and ensuring the financial stability of producers.
The next step in the development of the industry should be the possibility for producers themselves to determine the size of areas, types and varieties of grain crops, and the demonopolization of service structures. This will eliminate the legal basis for government intervention in the activities of economic entities and will be even more significant than free pricing.
For a true owner, the possibility of freedom of action is the most important factor. This right should be seen as a significant investment in the industry and in the development of human capital.
The course of the new Uzbekistan on the priority of good-neighborly relations is now perceived with great interest by the countries of the Central Asian region. The political weight and economic opportunities of Uzbekistan are seen as a good opportunity to solve problems on a mutually beneficial basis. A special place among them is occupied by agro-industrial cooperation, the effective use of the comparative advantages of each of the Central Asian states in solving problems of food security. If earlier, speaking about successes in this matter, they focused mainly on the growth of mutual trade, now many other examples can be cited.
Agro-industrial cooperation makes it possible, without being limited at the national level, to use the achievements of other countries and successfully solve common problems. By joining forces, it is possible to achieve an effect that exceeds traditional trading. This is one of the areas of agro-industrial cooperation. However, it should cover not only direct production, but also include a wide range of activities "from the field to the counter."
In recent years, there have been shifts in this direction. In particular, a project is being worked out to create a fruit and vegetable cluster on the territory of two regions of Kazakhstan with the participation of farmers from Uzbekistan. It is planned to allocate about 25 thousand hectares of irrigated farmland for these purposes. Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan have gained certain experience in organizing the storage, processing and transportation of food products. They show interest in building business with our colleagues.
Traditional ties, joint research activities of research institutes of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have gained a new breath in recent years. Thus, joint initiatives are being developed in the field of harmless biological products that heal the soil and increase its fertility by synthesizing organic matter. Agrotechnologies are being developed for the production of lentils and soybeans bred by Kazakh breeders in the conditions of Uzbekistan, pome and stone fruit crops of Uzbek selection - in Kazakhstan. A project is being implemented with the participation of scientists from both countries to develop new varieties of cotton, a joint laboratory for biological plant protection.
Kyrgyzstan is showing great interest in the development of grain growing using Uzbek seeds, as well as early ripe varieties of cotton, seedlings of fruit trees. The similarity of weather and climatic conditions plays an important role here. It is planned to implement a project to create a joint seed-growing enterprise with an area of 256 hectares in Kyrgyzstan to grow seeds of wheat and other grain crops, subject to the copyright of Uzbek breeders. Funds from the Uzbek-Kyrgyz investment fund will be allocated to finance these projects.
The food crisis as a global phenomenon did not emerge spontaneously and is likely to have a long history. We must be ready, using our capabilities and internal resources, as well as relying on international cooperation, to mitigate its consequences. At the same time, this process should be viewed as a chance to give a new breath to the agricultural sector and solve a number of problems.
Nosirjon Yusupov.
Chief Researcher at the International Institute of Central Asia,
Doctor of Economics.
Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia ink declaration on development of strategic corridor
A declaration on the development of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) was signed following the first Iran-Azerbaijan-Russia tripartite meeting in Baku on Friday, News.Az reports.
The document was inked by Azerbaijan’s Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexandr Novak and Iran’s Minister of Road and Urban Development Rostam Qassemi.
The sides stressed the importance of creating a working group to resolve the transport and transit issues and procedures through the territories of Azerbaijan, Russia and Iran amid the development of the North-South corridor and intend to hold the first meeting within a month.
Furthermore, countries intend to prepare a draft agreement on the Rasht-Astara railway project within a month, and a document that welcomes the involvement of Iran's Chabahar port in the corridor.
During the meeting, the parties talked about the work done on the sites of the represented country. They also exchanged views on further steps and proposed further mechanisms that will contribute to accelerating the development of the International North-South Transport Corridor.
The corridor is expected to reduce transportation costs and time from Eurasia to the Persian Gulf countries and India by 30 percent.
Iran began the construction project of the Rasht-Astara railway in northern country last month which is considered as one of the final stages of completing a highly strategic International North-South Transit Corridor (INSTC).
Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia ink declaration on development of strategic corridor
A declaration on the development of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) was signed following the first Iran-Azerbaijan-Russia tripartite meeting in Baku on Friday, News.Az reports.
The document was inked by Azerbaijan’s Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexandr Novak and Iran’s Minister of Road and Urban Development Rostam Qassemi.
The sides stressed the importance of creating a working group to resolve the transport and transit issues and procedures through the territories of Azerbaijan, Russia and Iran amid the development of the North-South corridor and intend to hold the first meeting within a month.
Furthermore, countries intend to prepare a draft agreement on the Rasht-Astara railway project within a month, and a document that welcomes the involvement of Iran's Chabahar port in the corridor.
During the meeting, the parties talked about the work done on the sites of the represented country. They also exchanged views on further steps and proposed further mechanisms that will contribute to accelerating the development of the International North-South Transport Corridor.
The corridor is expected to reduce transportation costs and time from Eurasia to the Persian Gulf countries and India by 30 percent.
Iran began the construction project of the Rasht-Astara railway in northern country last month which is considered as one of the final stages of completing a highly strategic International North-South Transit Corridor (INSTC).
TASHKENT TEXTILE SUMMIT WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE TASHKENT TEXTILE WEEK OCTOBER 11-12, 2022 TASHKENT
https://www.uzdaily.uz/en/post/75408
TASHKENT TEXTILE SUMMIT WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE TASHKENT TEXTILE WEEK OCTOBER 11-12, 2022 TASHKENT
Uzbekistan and SCO
Active and pragmatic foreign policy, pursued under the leadership of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, strengthens the role and authority of the country not only in the region, but also on a global scale, and increases its influence on the international process.
Multilateral collaboration with international and regional organizations, in particular, Uzbekistan’s participation in the activities of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, is of particular importance.
The transfer of the chairmanship of the Organization to Uzbekistan for 2021-2022 has become a logical continuation of our active and open foreign policy, implemented over the past 6 years.
At Dushanbe SCO Summit 2021, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev outlined the most priority areas of chairmanship in the Organization, such as intensifying joint efforts to ensure peace and stability in the SCO space, deepening trade, economic and investment cooperation, expanding transport and communication ties, interaction on poverty reduction, ensuring food security, wide use of the existing potential in healthcare, cultural and humanitarian spheres, and in the fight against climate change.
Over 80 events were held in all areas of cooperation during Uzbekistan’s chairmanship in the SCO.
As a result of large-scale events held at the upcoming summit, it is planned to submit more than 30 documents for signing.
Undoubtedly, one of the main goals of the Samarkand Summit is the issue of further expansion of the SCO family. Within the framework of the Council of Heads of State, a Memorandum is expected to be signed on the Commitment of the Islamic Republic of Iran to obtain the status of an SCO member.
This will become an important step in the implementation of the decision taken last year to start the process of admitting Iran to full membership.
In addition, a decision will be made to expand the membership of observer countries and partners in the SCO dialogue.
Documents on establishing cooperation between the SCO and several international and regional organizations are expected to be signed at the summit.
Another important document that is being prepared for adoption is the Comprehensive Plan for the Implementation of the SCO Treaty on Long-Term Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation for 2023-2027.
This strategically important document was developed on the initiative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and received the support of all SCO member states.
The draft plan includes cooperation in all areas within the Organization, currently, it contains about 120 events. The main attention is paid to the development of trade and economic relations. Thus, specific measures were defined to further strengthen industrial cooperation, partnership in investment, energy, transport, information and telecommunications, agriculture, customs and other spheres, logistics, as well as the agencies responsible for their implementation.
This Treaty can be compared in importance to the SCO Charter. If the Charter is the “soul” of the Organization, its “compass”, then the Treaty is the “conscience” of the SCO. Each member state is responsible for contributing to its implementation.
This document is aimed at ensuring the correct, rhythmic and stable functioning of the “compass” that enables the Organization to stay on the chosen path.
The Charter and the Treaty are the foundation for the political and legal relations of the SCO, determining its philosophy and image for the long term, for the entire period of the existence of the Organization.
The main features of the Treaty are that each provision of the document meets the national interests of all member states, as well as the goals of long-term joint development on the vast expanse of the SCO.
Therefore, the Comprehensive Plan submitted for signing and the specific measures indicated in it will serve the interests of all SCO member states without exception, including Uzbekistan.
SCO – major regional organization in the world
The total area of the SCO member states is 34 million km², which is 60% of the Eurasian continent. The population of the member states is nearly 3 billion people or about half of the world’s population. The SCO countries account for 20% of the global economy.
By accepting Iran as a full member, the SCO opens the door to the Middle East, which is considered a strategically important region.
It is obvious to everyone that the key to the Organization’s success is multifaceted cooperation and openness. Therefore, the structure appears as a convenient platform for an open dialogue, and a broad interregional partnership.
Uzbekistan – one of the founders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization
Uzbekistan is always recognized as one of the leaders in determining the further strategy for the development of mutually beneficial cooperation within the framework of the SCO.
We consider the SCO as an instrument in the fight against terrorism, extremism, separatism, transnational organized crime, drug trafficking, as well as an Organization that promotes the development of multifaceted cooperation in trade, economic, transport, cultural and humanitarian spheres.
Our country has chaired the Organization three times before. At the initiative of Uzbekistan in 2004, the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure of the SCO was established in Tashkent. The format of meetings of security council secretaries was introduced. A mechanism for granting observer status in the SCO was launched.
At the meeting of the Council of Heads of Member States, held in Tashkent in 2010, the Organization's rules of procedure and the Regulations on the procedure for admitting new members were adopted.
One of the main results of the Tashkent Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in 2016 was the signing of memorandums of commitment between India and Pakistan to obtain the status of the SCO member state. This served to strengthen the Organization’s potential and further enhance its role in the international arena.
Since 2017, our country has become the leading initiator of further developing cooperation within the SCO.
For five years, the President of Uzbekistan has put forward 54 initiatives at the SCO summits to improve the effectiveness of cooperation in political, trade, economic, transport and logistics, innovation and other spheres. 37 of them have been implemented, 17 more are under implementation.
At the Dushanbe Summit, several initiatives put forward by the Uzbek side were adopted – the SCO Green Belt Program, the SCO Interaction Plan on Ensuring International Information Security, the Concept of the SCO Economic Forum, as well as the Regulations on the Tourism and Cultural Capital of the SCO.
As the analysis shows, in terms of ongoing initiatives, Uzbekistan takes a leading position in the SCO. If in past years the Uzbek side was mainly active in security, now it focuses on the need for building up the overall potential through such areas as the economy, transport and logistics, innovative and digital development, cultural and public diplomacy.
The strategy being implemented in the SCO space at the initiative of Uzbekistan’s President is based on such important principles as constructiveness, pragmatism and initiative.
The superiority of Uzbekistan’s foreign policy is expressed in the fact that the initiatives put forward by Tashkent within the framework of the SCO, in particular those aimed at sustainable development of the region, fully meet the national interests of the member countries. Therefore, these initiatives are widely supported by all SCO member states.
Activities carried out under the chairmanship of Uzbekistan on the eve of the summit in Samarkand enriched the activities of the Organization with concrete and effective, new and important projects. We can say that Uzbekistan has withstood another difficult political test with honor.
The results of Uzbekistan’s chairmanship in the SCO will be summed up at the summit, which will be held on September 15-16 in Samarkand.
We are confident that it will become a major political and diplomatic forum and will go down in history as an important step toward the further development of the Organization.
Uzbekistan and SCO
Active and pragmatic foreign policy, pursued under the leadership of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, strengthens the role and authority of the country not only in the region, but also on a global scale, and increases its influence on the international process.
Multilateral collaboration with international and regional organizations, in particular, Uzbekistan’s participation in the activities of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, is of particular importance.
The transfer of the chairmanship of the Organization to Uzbekistan for 2021-2022 has become a logical continuation of our active and open foreign policy, implemented over the past 6 years.
At Dushanbe SCO Summit 2021, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev outlined the most priority areas of chairmanship in the Organization, such as intensifying joint efforts to ensure peace and stability in the SCO space, deepening trade, economic and investment cooperation, expanding transport and communication ties, interaction on poverty reduction, ensuring food security, wide use of the existing potential in healthcare, cultural and humanitarian spheres, and in the fight against climate change.
Over 80 events were held in all areas of cooperation during Uzbekistan’s chairmanship in the SCO.
As a result of large-scale events held at the upcoming summit, it is planned to submit more than 30 documents for signing.
Undoubtedly, one of the main goals of the Samarkand Summit is the issue of further expansion of the SCO family. Within the framework of the Council of Heads of State, a Memorandum is expected to be signed on the Commitment of the Islamic Republic of Iran to obtain the status of an SCO member.
This will become an important step in the implementation of the decision taken last year to start the process of admitting Iran to full membership.
In addition, a decision will be made to expand the membership of observer countries and partners in the SCO dialogue.
Documents on establishing cooperation between the SCO and several international and regional organizations are expected to be signed at the summit.
Another important document that is being prepared for adoption is the Comprehensive Plan for the Implementation of the SCO Treaty on Long-Term Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation for 2023-2027.
This strategically important document was developed on the initiative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and received the support of all SCO member states.
The draft plan includes cooperation in all areas within the Organization, currently, it contains about 120 events. The main attention is paid to the development of trade and economic relations. Thus, specific measures were defined to further strengthen industrial cooperation, partnership in investment, energy, transport, information and telecommunications, agriculture, customs and other spheres, logistics, as well as the agencies responsible for their implementation.
This Treaty can be compared in importance to the SCO Charter. If the Charter is the “soul” of the Organization, its “compass”, then the Treaty is the “conscience” of the SCO. Each member state is responsible for contributing to its implementation.
This document is aimed at ensuring the correct, rhythmic and stable functioning of the “compass” that enables the Organization to stay on the chosen path.
The Charter and the Treaty are the foundation for the political and legal relations of the SCO, determining its philosophy and image for the long term, for the entire period of the existence of the Organization.
The main features of the Treaty are that each provision of the document meets the national interests of all member states, as well as the goals of long-term joint development on the vast expanse of the SCO.
Therefore, the Comprehensive Plan submitted for signing and the specific measures indicated in it will serve the interests of all SCO member states without exception, including Uzbekistan.
SCO – major regional organization in the world
The total area of the SCO member states is 34 million km², which is 60% of the Eurasian continent. The population of the member states is nearly 3 billion people or about half of the world’s population. The SCO countries account for 20% of the global economy.
By accepting Iran as a full member, the SCO opens the door to the Middle East, which is considered a strategically important region.
It is obvious to everyone that the key to the Organization’s success is multifaceted cooperation and openness. Therefore, the structure appears as a convenient platform for an open dialogue, and a broad interregional partnership.
Uzbekistan – one of the founders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization
Uzbekistan is always recognized as one of the leaders in determining the further strategy for the development of mutually beneficial cooperation within the framework of the SCO.
We consider the SCO as an instrument in the fight against terrorism, extremism, separatism, transnational organized crime, drug trafficking, as well as an Organization that promotes the development of multifaceted cooperation in trade, economic, transport, cultural and humanitarian spheres.
Our country has chaired the Organization three times before. At the initiative of Uzbekistan in 2004, the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure of the SCO was established in Tashkent. The format of meetings of security council secretaries was introduced. A mechanism for granting observer status in the SCO was launched.
At the meeting of the Council of Heads of Member States, held in Tashkent in 2010, the Organization's rules of procedure and the Regulations on the procedure for admitting new members were adopted.
One of the main results of the Tashkent Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in 2016 was the signing of memorandums of commitment between India and Pakistan to obtain the status of the SCO member state. This served to strengthen the Organization’s potential and further enhance its role in the international arena.
Since 2017, our country has become the leading initiator of further developing cooperation within the SCO.
For five years, the President of Uzbekistan has put forward 54 initiatives at the SCO summits to improve the effectiveness of cooperation in political, trade, economic, transport and logistics, innovation and other spheres. 37 of them have been implemented, 17 more are under implementation.
At the Dushanbe Summit, several initiatives put forward by the Uzbek side were adopted – the SCO Green Belt Program, the SCO Interaction Plan on Ensuring International Information Security, the Concept of the SCO Economic Forum, as well as the Regulations on the Tourism and Cultural Capital of the SCO.
As the analysis shows, in terms of ongoing initiatives, Uzbekistan takes a leading position in the SCO. If in past years the Uzbek side was mainly active in security, now it focuses on the need for building up the overall potential through such areas as the economy, transport and logistics, innovative and digital development, cultural and public diplomacy.
The strategy being implemented in the SCO space at the initiative of Uzbekistan’s President is based on such important principles as constructiveness, pragmatism and initiative.
The superiority of Uzbekistan’s foreign policy is expressed in the fact that the initiatives put forward by Tashkent within the framework of the SCO, in particular those aimed at sustainable development of the region, fully meet the national interests of the member countries. Therefore, these initiatives are widely supported by all SCO member states.
Activities carried out under the chairmanship of Uzbekistan on the eve of the summit in Samarkand enriched the activities of the Organization with concrete and effective, new and important projects. We can say that Uzbekistan has withstood another difficult political test with honor.
The results of Uzbekistan’s chairmanship in the SCO will be summed up at the summit, which will be held on September 15-16 in Samarkand.
We are confident that it will become a major political and diplomatic forum and will go down in history as an important step toward the further development of the Organization.