Aliaksandr Lukashenka expects the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to help shape a new security architecture in Eurasia. He also called for the creation of an SCO science fund and support for a common digital space. A summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is being held in Bishkek today.
“In the modern world, stability means the ability to maintain balance despite emerging obstacles. This is possible only when there are reliable pillars. And today the SCO is perceived as one of them, perhaps even the most important one in Eurasia.
Amid the global rise in conflicts, it is important to strengthen and demonstrate in practice the SCO’s image as a Eurasian center of the emerging multipolar world order and to ensure the unity of the organization itself in each of its key areas of work,” he said, according to his press service.
According to Lukashenka, as the organization marks its 25th anniversary, it must “outline the strategic contours of the SCO’s future.”
“Our common goals were succinctly formulated during Kyrgyzstan’s chairmanship: strengthening stability and expanding cooperation toward further joint development,” he noted.
The first area of joint work is security.
“Challenges in this area are growing. Information, diplomatic, financial, economic and other sanctions pressure are realities of today. The arsenal of the ‘powers that be’ now includes not only the technologies of color revolutions and hybrid influence. Direct, large-scale military aggression has now demonstratively returned.
Our response to this challenge should be the formation of a new security architecture in Eurasia and the creation of a common space of trust and cooperation. Belarus, together with a number of countries in the SCO family, is already taking appropriate steps,” he said.
The second area of cooperation is the economy.
“Joint initiatives must produce concrete results, improve the well-being of our peoples and contribute to greater cohesion among our states.
Regular contacts between our relevant agencies have been established. And we expect the number of meetings to translate into quality and launch large-scale practical initiatives,” he said.
Lukashenka supported the establishment of the SCO Development Bank as soon as possible and welcomed the growing share of national currencies in mutual settlements.
“The rapid development of information technologies has added a new, digital dimension to the familiar system of coordinates. Belarus supports the earliest possible creation of a common, open and secure digital space for the organization,” he said.
As part of humanitarian cooperation, Lukashenka proposed establishing a science fund.
“We are grateful for the active participation of SCO countries in the Meeting of Education Ministers, which was held for the first time this year in the capital of Belarus, as well as for the Minsk Initiative project approved during the meeting, which envisages the creation of a consortium of SCO universities and high-tech corporations.
Belarus also proposes establishing a science fund for the organization that would help integrate the potential of scientists from our countries.
With this instrument, we will be able to support innovative research projects in a wide range of fields: from climate and the environment to smart agriculture, biotechnology, healthcare and pharmaceuticals,” he said.
Lukashenka noted that the SCO should not be a closed organization.
“The partner status enshrined in the SCO Charter demonstrates that we are not proponents of closed alliances and are ready to cooperate with everyone in the ‘Shanghai spirit.’ We need to expand the SCO’s contacts with other associations, such as the EAEU, CIS, CSTO, ASEAN, the African Union and, of course, BRICS,” he said.
