Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)

Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is an intergovernmental, international organisation that aims to maintain harmony, security, and stability in the region which are associated with it. The creation was announced by the superiors of the People's Republic of China, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Tajikistan, the Kyrgyz Republic, and the Republic of Uzbekistan on  15 June 2001 in Shanghai. The charter of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization was signed in June 2002 and came into action on 19 September 2003. SCO is a permanent international organisation. It is the largest organisation in the world and covers approximately half of the human population. Shanghai Cooperation Organization is also known as Shanghai Pact. Let's have detailed knowledge about the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Why was SCO Formed?

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization was established to make a new regional order among the newly independent countries. It was formed as a multilateral association for security and stability in the vast Eurasian region. The Shanghai Five (formerly known by this name) group was set up by signing the treaty of the Deepening Military trust in the border areas in Shanghai.

Objectives of SCO

• The primary objective of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is to maintain security-related issues of its associated countries.  Such issues are terrorism, extremism, and separatism.

• The main objective of the  Shanghai Cooperation Organization is to strengthen the relationship among the member countries.

• SCO aims to maintain the security, regional peace, and economic growth of the countries.

• This organisation focuses on international trade, scientific research, technology, cultural education, and democracy in the associated regions.

• SCO respects each other's independence, prosperity, territorial integrity, and non-interference in the internal affairs of each other's countries.

• The organisation makes efforts to establish democratic, rational, and international economic and political countries.

• The most powerful members of SCO are China and Russia. They devote their main attention to other Asian countries. They regulate military exercises to promote the security of SCO countries.

SCO Member Countries

In the beginning, On 26th April 1966, there were only five SCO countries: China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan. Currently, eight countries are members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. These countries are — China, India, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. India was made an observer at the SCO in 2005, and  India gained full membership in 2017at a summit in Astana, Kazakhstan. The Islamic Republic of Pakistan also gained full membership in 2017.

The list of the members and their joining dates, along with their current leaders are as follows;

There are four observers (Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, and Mongolia) and six dialogue partners (Azerbaijan, Armenia, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Turkey). Dialogue partners were created in 2008. There are three guest attendance entries (Turkmenistan, Commonwealth of the Independent States, Association of Southeast Asian Nations). 

SCO Headquarters

SCO headquarters is situated in Beijing, China. The SCO Secretary-General of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is Vladimir Norov, the former minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan.

Structure of SCO 

For the accomplishment of the aims and objectives of the Shanghai Cooperation organisation, these bodies work within the organisation. They are as follows;

1.The Heads of State Council

The Heads of State Council is the supreme authority of the SCO, which is responsible for making decisions on the internal and external affairs of the organisation. The Council holds an annual meeting. The venue of the regular meeting of the Head of State Council is decided by the Russian alphabetic order of names of the SCO member countries.

This meeting is chaired by the head of state organisation.

2.The Heads of Government Council

The Heads of Government Council approves the budget of the organisation and makes decisions mainly on economic issues.

3.The Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs

The Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs takes care of the day-to-day activities of the Organisation. It prepares meetings of the Heads of State Council and holds consultations on international disputes within the Organisation. The Council may make decisions on behalf of SCO.

4.Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS)

It is formed to counter “three evils”, which are terrorism, separatism, and extremism. Mr Jumakhon Giyosov is the director of the Executive Committee of the RATS. It operates according to the SCO Charter, the Shanghai Convention on Combating Terrorism, Separatism, and Extremism.

5.SCO Secretariat

SCO Secretariat provides analytical, informational, and organisational support to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. It is based in Beijing, China.

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Figure: Structure of Shanghai  Cooperation Organization.

SCO Summit 2020 Venue

According to the charter of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, two SCO summits held  SCO Heads of Government and SCO Heads of State. Total five virtual summits were held in November 2020. Two SCO summits 2020 were held in November 2020, with India participating in both of them, amid border tensions between India and China along the LAC in eastern Ladakh.

Summit of SCO Heads of State: The SCO 2020 Heads of States of Shanghai  Cooperation Organization was held through a video conferencing on 10th November 2020. It was chaired by the president of the Russian Federation Mr Vladimir Putin. The SCO member states were represented by their presidents except for India and Pakistan. India was represented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Pakistan was represented by its  Prime Minister Imran Khan. This was the first SCO summit held in the virtual medium due to COVID- 19 pandemic. Shanghai Cooperation Organization 2020 summits were held through video conferencing.

The list of all Summits held with the Heads of States are as follows:

Summit of SCO Heads of Government: 19th Summit of SCO Council of Heads of Government was held on 30 November 2020 virtually through video conference. Vice President of India Shri Venkaiah Naidu chaired the meeting. India gained full membership in 2017, but on 30 November 2020, the first time that a Summit Meeting was held under India’s Chairmanship. Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar attended the SCO Heads of Government Summit.

The list of all SCO summits with Heads of Government are as follows:

Did You know?

• In the year 2021, Tajikistan is leading the SCO, and it is expected that it should host a series of ministerial and official-level meetings.

• On 10 November  2020 Shanghai Cooperation Organization had its first virtual summit amid COVID- 19. 

• The SCO Secretariat and Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) are the permanent bodies of SCO.

• The official languages of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)  are  Russian and Chinese.