On 2 March 2021, the SCO Secretariat was the venue of a meeting between SCO Secretary-General Vladimir Norov and Siddharth Chatterjee, the newly-appointed UN Resident Coordinator in China.
The SCO Secretary-General warmly congratulated Mr Chatterjee on his appointment and noted that his rich UN experience on the most topical matters would prove quite useful for strengthening SCO-UN cooperation.
Mr Norov discussed SCO activities and noted that, in the past 20 years, the SCO member states had created an impressive contractual-legal framework and had elaborated effective mechanisms for economic, cultural, humanitarian, political and security cooperation. Growing trust helps deepen this cooperation with every passing day. He reaffirmed the SCO's common position regarding the UN's central coordinating role in maintaining international peace and security, promoting global development and encouraging and protecting human rights.
Mr Norov briefed Mr Chatterjee on the SCO's growing influence on international affairs, especially in terms of cooperation with the UN and its specialised agencies, including the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, UNESCO, the World Trade Organisation, the Food and Agriculture Organisation and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. They also noted work on memorandums of understanding and joint action plans between UN and SCO agencies.
Mr Chatterjee thanked the SCO Secretary-General for the meeting and noted that the SCO had great potential for expanding cooperation in various areas of mutual interest. He suggested cooperating on youth affairs, gender equality and professional improvement, especially in the digital economy.
The Resident Coordinator praised the SCO Secretary-General's proposal to study the possibility of working in a trilateral format with other regional organisations alongside the UN and the SCO. Mr Chatterjee voiced his complete support for joint SCO-UN activities.
The parties also exchanged opinions on anti-drug initiatives, threats of terrorism, extremism and radicalisation, efforts to involve young people in the constructive agenda, to expand tourism, to fight poverty and to achieve sustainable development goals.
The meeting took place in a constructive and friendly atmosphere.
SCO-UN cooperation was officially formalised in 2004 when the Organisation received observer status with the UN General Assembly. This was followed by a joint declaration, signed in 2010. Every two years, the UN General Assembly passes a resolution on SCO-UN cooperation. Acting in line with signed memorandums of understanding, the SCO cooperates with various specialised UN agencies, offices, departments and bodies, including the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the World Trade Organisation, UNESCO and the Food and Agriculture Organisation.