On 12 May 2018, the city of Xian in the People's Republic of China was the venue of a SCO conference. Those taking part discussed joint efforts to prevent, treat and monitor trans-border epizootic diseases. The event was sponsored by the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China, the national Ministry of Agriculture and Agricultural Affairs, and the People's Government of Shaanxi Province.
The conference involved leading specialists and experts, representatives of academic and public organisations of SCO member-states, observer states and dialogue partners, as well as those from international organisations.
SCO Secretary General Rashid Alimov sent a message of greetings to conference participants. According to the message, the leaders of SCO member-states attach particular significance to the maintenance of sanitary-epidemiological well-being and biological security throughout the region. The concluding communique of the meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) of SCO Member-States in Sochi which took place between 30 November-1 December 2017 notes the importance of expanding this cooperation as regards the prevention of infectious diseases, control and emergency response protocols.
"The SCO aims to further strengthen its potential, while responding to challenges as well as threats linked with the spread of dangerous infectious diseases. It is precisely clear joint and consistent actions, linked with control of infectious diseases, that will make it possible to reduce the risks and threats in this field," the message reads in part.
After the conference, its participants passed a joint statement noting their commitment to provisions of the World Organisation for Animal Health as regards joint efforts to prevent and control trans-border epizootic diseases and noted the importance of the establishment of a biological security corridor in the SCO region. Conference participants also called for expanding dialogue and strengthening mutual multilateral trust, science and technological cooperation and jointly using the results of science and technology and for establishing a database on the trans-border epizootic situation and animal diseases.
In the run-up to the conference, on 11 May 2018 experts of SCO member-states coordinated a draft inter-governmental memorandum for jointly preventing and controlling epizootic diseases, for establishing joint preventive task forces for dealing with the threats of pandemics and for ensuring safe sales and purchases of food, animals and animal products.