SCO Secretary-General: Combatting Global Challenges Calls for an Effective Collective Approach

The second high-level special event titled UN-Shanghai Cooperation Organisation: Cooperation Aimed at Strengthening Peace, Security and Stability was held at the UN Headquarters in New York on 27 November 2018. The participants discussed a broad range of issues related to expanding cooperation between the SCO and the UN and its specialised bodies, primarily in the context of combatting modern threats and challenges and promoting sustainable development.

SCO Secretary-General Rashid Alimov said in his remarks that the holding of joint special events the UN and the SCO launched two years ago had become a good tradition. "We hold meetings at the UN Headquarters to discuss steps aimed at building up our efforts towards stronger peace, security and stability," Mr Alimov said.

The SCO Secretary-General mentioned major changes in the SCO development that took place over the past two years, the most important of which was the SCO expansion through the granting of full membership to India and Pakistan. "This event has changed the quality and added dynamics to the SCO, which stands for close fruitful interaction in building a fairer and more balanced world order based on equal, common, indivisible, comprehensive and stable security and respect for the interests of each and all states in accordance with the norms and principles of international law," Mr Alimov said. "The SCO member states have always emphasised the leading role of the UN in maintaining international peace and security and encouraging global development. At their summit in Qingdao, the leaders of the SCO member states reaffirmed the SCO policy of promoting cooperation with the UN in a broad range of spheres in keeping with the SCO Development Strategy until 2025.

In this connection Rashid Alimov stressed the importance of this approach in the current period of major change and increasing instability and uncertainty. "There is persistent instability in the global economy amid the growing risks of terrorism and extremism, illegal drug trafficking, organised crime and climate change. To combat these global challenges, the international community must develop effective collective approaches," the SCO Secretary-General said.

He also spoke about the deepening of the UN-SCO interaction in the main fields of cooperation, the improved quality and rapid development of the SCO's ties with the UN Secretariat and Office of Counter-Terrorism, the new practical aspects of interaction with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and ESCAP, as well as the development of close ties with UNESCO.

"Our ongoing dialogue with the UN in New York, Bangkok and Vienna, as well as at other international venues, helps coordinate and consolidate the fight against terrorism, illegal drug trafficking and organised crime and address socioeconomic development targets," Rashid Alimov noted.

"We can say with confidence that the SCO has become a reliable partner for the UN in Eurasia, where we are contributing to the UN search for solutions to grave modern problems," Mr Alimov said.

He also expressed confidence that "the deepening of cooperation and the expansion of the range of cooperation spheres between the UN and the SCO will produce a synergy of efforts towards an effective and comprehensive attainment of the goals of stronger peace and security and sustainable development."