On 1 November 2019, the SCO Secretary-General Vladimir Norov met with Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus Sergei Rumas on the sidelines of the meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) of the SCO member states in Tashkent.
The Secretary-General briefed the Prime Minister on SCO activities and the prospects for further enhancing the organisation's interaction with the observer states. He emphasised that Belarus is among the most active observers at the SCO, which has a high industrial and agricultural potential and develops high technologies.
"Belarus has joined the SCO Agreement on Facilitation of International Road Transport even though it is not an SCO member state. Belarus's transit potential provides a way for the SCO countries to enter Europe," Vladimir Norov noted.
He pointed out the fact that at the SCO Summit in Bishkek, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko suggested, among other ideas, establishing cooperation in combating terrorism and organised crime using Belarus's experience and expertise as well as engaging the International Training Centre of the Interior Ministry of Belarus. "We are waiting for Belarus's proposals to follow up on that initiative within the related SCO mechanisms," the SCO Secretary General added.
The SCO Secretary-General also focused on the Road Map for the Development of Interaction between the SCO Secretariat and the Observer States and Dialogue Partners, which offers new possibilities to establish closer cooperation between the above countries and the organisation.
Sergei Rumas noted that the organisation could be an effective platform to step up cooperation among the Eurasian countries. He stressed that Belarus is ready for close cooperation with the SCO in mutually advantageous areas.
Issues of holding joint events aimed at countering new challenges and threats, developing economic, and cultural and humanitarian ties were also discussed.
The Republic of Belarus has been an SCO observer state since 2012.