Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Members Countries

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is one of the most influential regional alliances in the world, which has shaped Eurasia's geopolitical and economic landscape. Since establishing the Shanghai Cooperation Organization , it has aimed to promote cooperation in politics, economics, security, and culture among its member states. As the SCO Summit 2024 recently concluded in Astana, Kazakhstan, the organisation continues to strengthen its role on the global stage.

SCO Full Form

The full form of SCO is the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. It was founded in 2001 for a regional alliance bringing together China, Russia, and Central Asian nations to strengthen ties in security, trade, and diplomacy.

What is the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation?

This organization was established in 2001, and the SCO evolved from the Shanghai Five mechanism, which was founded in 1996. The Shanghai Five included China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan; this mechanism was formed with the primary goal of enhancing border security and demilitarization after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Uzbekistan joined in 2001, transforming this group of five into the SCO. It is the world's largest regional organization, which covers 24% of the world's area and 42% of its population. By 2024, it represents 23% of global nominal GDP and 36% of GDP based on PPP.

Today, the SCO members include ten permanent member countries and many observer states, making the SCO a major player in Eurasian geopolitics.

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List of SCO Member Countries

 The SCO member countries include some of the world's most powerful and populous nations. The current list of the full members are:

• China (1996)

• India (2017)

• Kazakhstan (1996)

• Kyrgyzstan (1996)

• Pakistan (2017)

• Russia (1996)

• Tajikistan (1996)

• Uzbekistan (2001)

• Iran (joined recently in 2023)

• Belarus (new member in 2024)

The addition of new member states like Iran and Belarus indicates the growing influence of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation . Some countries, including Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, and Mongolia, have observer status, while other countries like Turkey, Armenia, and Sri Lanka participate as dialogue partners.

Origins of SCO

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was started by applying the "Shanghai Five" mechanism, a group formed in 1996, consisting of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. The Shanghai Five was created to address growing concerns about extremist religious groups, ethnic tensions, and border disputes that occurred after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. The initial focus of the Shanghai Five was on promoting regional stability and security cooperation.

Establishment of the SCO

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation was officially established in Shanghai on June 15, 2001. In June 2001, Uzbekistan joined as the original member, becoming the sixth member of this new regional alliance. The formation of the SCO marked a formalisation of the regional alliance, with a broader focus that included economic and political cooperation alongside security.

Over time, the SCO expanded, In June 2017, countries like India and Pakistan joined SCO and by July 2023, Iran had become the 9th member of SCO. Recently after SCO Summit 2024 Belarus has become the 10th member of the SCO, which brings the total number of member states to 10.

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SCO Summit 2024

The SCO Summit 2024 was an important gathering held in Astana, Kazakhstan, where leaders from across the world were summoned to discuss security, economic development, and multilateral cooperation issues. The summit brought several key developments:

• India's Prominent Role : India has been leading in the summit, where the External Affairs Minister “Subrahmanyam Jaishankar” delivered the Prime Minister's message. He addressed the focus on ‘combating terrorism’ and ‘climate change’ as the priorities for India.
• New Membership : A notable highlight was Belarus's entry as the 10th member state of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) . This expansion strengthened the SCO's influence, and India's External Affairs Minister met with his Belarusian counterpart to strengthen bilateral relations.
• Astana Declaration : The summit concluded with the adoption of the Astana Declaration , which approved 25 strategic agreements covering various fields such as energy, security, trade, finance, and information security.

Key Resolutions at the 24th SCO Summit

At the 24th SCO Summit , some strategic resolutions were adopted by the organization to guide the future direction. These include:

• SCO Development Strategy until 2035 : This wide strategy will now focus on combating terrorism, separatism, and extremism. It also includes strategies for anti-drug efforts, energy cooperation, economic development, and eco-tourism.
• Memorandum on Combating Illicit Drug Trafficking : SCO member countries agreed to sign a memorandum that aims at tackling the issue of illicit drug trafficking which is a significant threat to regional security and stability.
• International Information Security : A strategic interaction plan was also signed to address international information security, highlighting the growing importance of cybersecurity.

India-China Relations at the SCO Summit

During the SCO Summit 2024, a significant event was the meeting between India's External Affairs Minister and the Chinese Foreign Minister. Both ministers emphasized the need for "complete disengagement" of troops and restoring peace along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh.

The ministers agreed to expedite diplomatic and military efforts to resolve the remaining border issues to maintain stability between the two neighbouring countries.

SCO's Core Objectives

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is committed to promoting regional stability, peace, and development. Its core objectives include:

• Enhancing regional security : Counter-terrorism efforts are the primary functions, with a special focus on combating extremism, separatism, and terrorism.
• Economic cooperation : The SCO facilitates trade, energy cooperation, and development initiatives that help member states strengthen their economic relations.
• Cultural exchanges : Promoting cultural integration and enhancing people-to-people connections through various platforms and events.
• Military collaboration : SCO also engages in joint military exercises, strengthening cooperation among member countries in the defence sector.

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SCO-RATS and Counter-terrorism Measures

An important aspect of SCO 's security agenda is the SCO-RATS , which stands for the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure . This structure was laid in 2004, SCO-RATS is headquartered in Tashkent, Uzbekistan . The responsibility of SC0-RATS is to coordinate the efforts of the SCO member countries in combating terrorism, extremism, and separatism.

SCO-RATS has played an essential role by sharing intelligence and coordinating actions to address regional security threats. Generally focuses on monitoring terrorist activities, sharing information on terrorist groups, and organizing joint counter-terrorism activities. The growing threat of terrorism in Central Asia and the surrounding regions has made SCO-RATS a vital pillar of the SCO's security strategy.

SCO Military Exercises

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation conducts regular military exercises to enhance cooperation among its member states and improve coordination in responding to security threats, particularly terrorism and cross-border extremism.

The most notable exercise is the "Peace Mission," an anti-terrorism drill conducted every few years. These joint exercises provide the platform to thousands of troops from the SCO member countries , to showcase their ability to respond swiftly to regional security threats.

SCO Economic Initiatives

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is a security-focused group that has also taken a few notable steps to enhance economic cooperation among its members. Trade, infrastructure development, and energy cooperation are the central themes in the SCO's economic agenda.

The highly recognised key initiative is the promotion of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), supported by China . Some SCO member states are involved in the BRI, providing benefits like improved connectivity, infrastructure development, and trade opportunities.

Energy cooperation is another vital aspect of the SCO's economic agenda. For such an aspect, several member countries, including Russia and Kazakhstan , are major energy producers, and the SCO plays a role in facilitating energy trade and ensuring energy security in the region.

SCO Headquarters

The SCO headquarters is located in Beijing, China. It is an administrative hub of the organization which coordinates various activities, events, and meetings. The headquarters also functions as the base for policy formulation and decision-making processes that drive the SCO's initiatives forward.

With headquarters in Beijing, SCO-RATS operates from Tashkent, playing a key role in counter-terrorism activities.

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