On 4 June 2022, at the invitation of the Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Observer Mission of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation started its work,, during a republican referendum to amend the national Constitution.
The Mission is headed by SCO Secretary-General Zhang Ming, now paying a working visit to Kazakhstan, and it consists of representatives of legislative and executive agencies of the SCO member states, as well as heads and officials of the SCO Secretariat and the SCO's Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS). In all, the Mission has 17 observers. There are plans to meet with the heads of the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Kazakhstan, regional representatives of the Central Election Commission, and media correspondents, as well as observers from foreign states and other international organisations.