Delhi will chair the grouping for a year until September 2023, when it hosts the SCO Heads of State meeting.
The SCO countries signed the Samarkand Declaration on Friday, which points to various global challenges and threats such as the technological and digital divide, turmoil in global financial markets, instability in supply chains, increased measures by protectionists and uncertainty in the global economy.
They highlighted the impact of global climate change and the current Covid-19 pandemic, which pose additional challenges for economic growth, social welfare and food security, and underlined the need for new approaches to promote fairer and more effective international cooperation and a sustainable economy Development .
The statement supported the region’s efforts to ensure prosperity, peace and sustainable development and advocated strengthening the SCO’s role in enhancing the region’s stability and socio-economic development.
He also expressed concern about the security threats posed by terrorism, separatism and extremism and strongly condemned terrorist attacks around the world.
Believing that one of the most important factors in maintaining and strengthening security and stability in the region is the speedy resolution of the situation in Afghanistan, the SCO countries support the establishment of an independent, neutral, unified, democratic and peaceful state there without terrorism, war and drugs.
They noted that efforts to improve connectivity between Central Asia and South Asia will ensure prosperity and security in the region.
They called for the strengthening of the World Trade Organization (WTO) as the central forum for discussing the international trade agenda and for the adoption of the rules of the multilateral trading system, and stressed the need for early and comprehensive reform of the WTO.
They agreed to promote regional economic cooperation by promoting a trade and investment-friendly environment, gradually achieving the free movement of goods, capital, services and technology, and the establishment of working groups on start-up and innovation and poverty alleviation, and traditional medicine, cooperate in the digital economy and the development of digital technologies.
In addition, the establishment of a sustainable economic system through the promotion of green and environmentally friendly technologies and the lack of access to clean water, basic sanitation and healthy hygiene were recognized as major challenges, as well as the introduction of modern technologies and active cooperation in the field of food safety.
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