On 26 September 2019, SCO Secretary-General Vladimir Norov met with ASEAN Secretary-General Dato Lim Jock Hoi at the UN headquarters in New York.
Over the course of the discussion the sides discussed matters of multi-profile nature between the SCO and ASEAN in order to coordinate actions to combat terrorism and illegal drug trafficking, while at the same time enhancing economic and humanitarian cooperation.
Vladimir Norov informed his partner on the outcome of the SCO summit in Bishkek and about international treaties that were signed at the summit. He specially emphasised the significance of the adoption of the SCO Convention on Cooperation in Digitisation and Information and Communications Technologies, which ushers in opportunities for broad contacts and the sharing of experience between the SCO and ASEAN nations, as well as the positive advancement of multi-profile dialogue between the two associations.
SCO Secretary-General stressed the need to step up cooperation in the fight against terrorist threats, and also pointed out the necessity to boost interaction in the areas of narcotics, including within the framework of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.
Vladimir Norov also informed about the SCO's international contacts, its interaction with the UN, its specialised offices and its other international and regional organisations. In this context he stressed the importance of maintaining reciprocal contacts between SCO and ASEAN, which will ensure proper strengthening of relations between the organisations' member-states and secretariats.
The ASEAN Secretary-General stressed the need to share experience between SCO and ASEAN on a wide range of issues of mutual concern. He highly praised the activities of the SCO's Regional Ant-Terrorist Structure for ensuring security and stability in the region. He also underscored the significance of joint projects in digitasation and urban environment.
The parties also discussed the implementation of the 2019-2020 list of measures for cooperation between the SCO and ASEAN secretariats, as well as arranging thematic roundtable discussions between their secretariats.
In 2005, the SCO and ASEAN Secretariats signed a Memorandum of understanding. The areas of interaction under the memorandum include combating terrorism, countering illegal drug trafficking and weapons smuggling as well as cooperation in the economy, tourism, environmental protection and social development.