On 26 September 2019, the 18th Meeting of Ministers from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Member States responsible for foreign economic activities and foreign trade (hereinafter referred to as the Meeting) was held in Tashkent, the Republic of Uzbekistan.
Taking part in the Meeting were Minister of State for Commerce and Industry of the Republic of India Sri Som Prakash, Minister of the National Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan Ruslan Dalenov, Vice Minister of Commerce and Deputy International Trade Representative of the People's Republic of China Yu Jianhua, Deputy Minister of Economy of the Kyrgyz Republic Sultan Akhmatov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to the Republic of Uzbekistan Irfan Yusuf Shami, Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation Timur Maksimov, Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade of the Republic of Tajikistan Jabborzoda Gulru, and Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sardor Umurzakov.
The Meeting was also attended by SCO Deputy Secretary-General Sherali Jonon and representative of the SCO Business Council Adkham Ikramov, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
The Meeting was chaired by the Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
During the Meeting, which was held in a constructive and friendly atmosphere, those present discussed a wide range of topics related to the further development of regional economic cooperation and exchanged views on the current state of and prospects for trade, economic and investment cooperation within the SCO.
The heads of the delegations have taken note of the draft report of the SCO Secretariat regarding the implementation of the Programme of Multilateral Trade and Economic Cooperation of the SCO Member States and recommended that the SCO Secretariat submit the draft for approval, in accordance with the established procedure, at the upcoming meeting of the SCO Heads of Government Council, which will be held in Tashkent, the Republic of Uzbekistan, on 31 October — 1 November 2019.
The heads of the delegations have approved the proposed new wording of the Programme of Multilateral Trade and Economic Cooperation of the SCO Member States and recommended that the SCO Secretariat submit the draft for approval at the upcoming meeting of the SCO Heads of Government Council,
which will be held in Tashkent, the Republic of Uzbekistan, on 31 October — 1 November 2019.
The heads of the delegations have taken note of the information provided by the SCO Secretariat regarding the operations of the Special Working Groups of the Meeting and instructed them to intensify their efforts related to the implementation of the SCO economic policy documents and plans.
The representative of the SCO Business Council reported on the Council's operations in 2018-2019 and its priorities for 2020.
The Uzbek side reported to the Meeting on the preparations for the upcoming meeting of the SCO Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) Council, which will be held in Tashkent, the Republic of Uzbekistan, on 31 October — 1 November 2019. The heads of the delegations pointed out the importance of cooperation in the field of trade and investment, transport and logistics, tourism, agriculture and industry, energy, ICT, spatial development, research, ecology and environmental protection, and also highlighted the importance of promoting cooperation between the SCO member states in these fields.
They noted the urgent need to develop remote and rural regions in the SCO member states and approved a concept of SCO cooperation in the development of remote and rural regions in the digital age. An agreement was reached on the preparation of proposals on a mechanism for its implementation in accordance with the established procedure.
The heads of the delegations approved the draft Regulations of the SCO Consortium of Analytical Centres and recommended that the SCO Secretariat submit the draft for approval at the upcoming meeting of the SCO Heads of Government Council, which will be held in Tashkent, the Republic of Uzbekistan, on 31 October — 1 November 2019.
The next ministerial Meeting will be held in 2020 within the framework of the next SCO Heads of Government Council Meeting. The timeframe and the location for the Meeting will be additionally coordinated at the SCO Secretariat.
A Protocol was signed by the heads of the delegations following the Meeting.