Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 24-25 June, an international conference on the theme "Twenty years of the SCO: a look back and into the future" is being held in Shanghai in a hybrid (online-offline) format, organized by the Chinese Academy of International Affairs. More than 35 prominent diplomats, scientists and experts from leading research institutes and think tanks of the member states, observer countries and SCO dialogue partners are taking part in it.

On the first working day of the conference, President of the Chinese Academy of International Affairs Xu Bu, Director of the Shanghai Institute for Global Security Governance Studies Xia Xiaohe, former SCO secretaries general Zhang Deguang, Bolat Nurgaliev, Muratbek Imanaliev, Dmitry Mezentsev and Rashid Alimov made a welcoming speech.

The representative composition of the videoconference participants predetermined a rich exchange of views on the accumulated experience in the field of multifaceted interaction in the SCO space and achievements within the organization.

In his welcoming speech, SCO Secretary General Vladimir Norov noted that the current anniversary of the organization has become a resonant event on an international scale, far beyond the SCO’s own space.

According to him, the past two decades have shown that the strategic choice made on 15 June 2001 by the heads of the SCO founding states in Shanghai turned out to be correct and far-sighted.

V. Norov stressed that, despite all previously expressed in certain circles pessimistic forecasts, the SCO has set a unique precedent for a stable and powerful association of states radically different in their military-political potential, financial and economic power and socio-cultural tradition.

In this context, the director of the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Eldor Aripov especially emphasized the importance and timeliness of the initiative to hold the anniversary conference.

According to E. Aripov, the SCO has made a "rapid transition" from the format of a consultative mechanism to a full-fledged interstate association. He added that the 20th anniversary of the organization’s existence is a good reason not only to look back and evaluate the path traveled, but most importantly - to look ahead and outline priorities for further joint development.

At the same time, the director of the ISMI focused on the importance of the initiatives put forward by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, aimed at solving the most urgent tasks of joint development within the SCO.

Among them are the implementation of joint anti-crisis programs and "non-standard" approaches to the development of inter-sectoral cooperation, increasing the digital literacy of the population, the formation of the SCO "green belt", the introduction of high technologies and alternative energy, the development of the transport and transit potential of the SCO space.

The initiative of S. Mirziyoyev to develop and adopt a Plan of Practical Measures to Promote the Social and Economic Reconstruction of Afghanistan within the framework of the SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group was identified as timely and requiring joint efforts within the SCO framework. It was emphasized that rendering assistance to Afghanistan in restoring a peaceful economy through the implementation of social, economic and humanitarian programs and projects will contribute to the achievement of long-term and sustainable peace in this country, the creation of the necessary socio-economic basis for the process of a peaceful solution to the Afghan crisis.

Andrey Kortunov, Director General of the Russian International Affairs Council, expressed a similar opinion. In his words, the problem of Afghanistan is an illustration of the achievements of the SCO and the challenges that it faces today and will face in the near future.

In his speech, the Russian expert shared his vision of how the SCO can work in the Afghan direction and what difficulties may arise in this work. He stressed that the ability of Afghanistan’s neighboring countries to find common approaches to resolving the situation in the Islamic Republic will become the most important external factor affecting the development trajectory of the Afghan state and society.

A. Kortunov noted that without Afghanistan’s involvement in the development of regional transport and logistics infrastructure, it will not be possible to close the space of Central and South Asia, as well as the economic space of the SCO as a whole.

In turn, the director of the Institute of Eurasia CAMP Li Ziguo, finishing with his speech the first day of the conference, emphasized the need to exchange expert opinions, including critical remarks, since it is in the process of open discussion of such issues that joint work on the development of the SCO is being promoted.

In conclusion, the Chinese expert noted the successes of the organization’s effective activities, which are embedded in the idea ofthe "Shanghai spirit", which represents the foundation for the further construction of the SCO on the basis of a common vision of security problems and political trust between the countries.

The conference continues.