The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation: New Era, New Development international forum, which is sponsored by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences with assistance from the SCO Secretariat

On 26 March 2018, the SCO Secretary-General attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation: New Era, New Development international forum, which is sponsored by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences with assistance from the SCO Secretariat.

Attended by representatives of academic and research centres from SCO Family countries, the forum focused on a broad range of issues related to the state and further expansion of versatile cooperation within the SCO in the context of the latest world and regional development trends. Specifically, experts discussed regional stability, comprehensive security, promotion of the joint economic development of the SCO member-states, and new approaches to intensifying SCO interaction.

"Eurasia is rapidly becoming the main driving force of world politics and economics. Its most important component is the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation that accounts for over 60% of Eurasia's territory and more than 40% of the world's population. Collectively, members of the Eurasian G8 produce almost a quarter of the world's GDP. The overall situation in this key region of the world will largely depend on the further development of the SCO," SCO Secretary-General Rashind Alimov told forum participants, adding: "During its existence, the SCO has consistently built up political, security, economic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation. Its successes in this regard have enabled it to assert itself as an important member of the modern system of international relations and provide a tangible positive example for a number of other international organisations."

"The world is changing rapidly, with the role of regional organisations in addressing people's urgent challenges growing steadily. As an organisation of a new type, the SCO seeks to confirm, through practical deeds, its high status as a universally recognised and authoritative multilateral union whose activities are aimed at maintaining security and stability in the SCO space, jointly opposing new challenges and threats, strengthening trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation, and unleasing the huge potential of good-neighbourliness and interaction between the SCO member-states and their peoples," he said.