The Council of Heads of State

The Heads of State Council (HSC) is the supreme governing body of the SCO. It determines strategic priorities and defines the main areas of the Organisation’s activity, takes decisions on fundamental issues relating to its internal structure and functioning, oversees interaction with other states and international organisations, and addresses the most pressing international issues.

The Council meets once a year. The chair is held by the head of state hosting the meeting. The venue for the Council meeting is generally determined by the Russian alphabetical order of the SCO member states.

The 25th meeting of the SCO Heads of State Council, chaired by China, took place in Tianjin from 31 August to 1 September 2025. A substantial package of documents was signed during the meeting:

1. Tianjin Declaration of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

2. Decision of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation on approving documents following the Council meeting:

- Development Strategy of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation until 2035;

- Cooperation Programme of the Member States in Countering Extremist Ideology in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Space for 2026-2030;

- Roadmap for the Implementation of the Strategy for the Development of Energy Cooperation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation until 2030.

3. Decision of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation on granting the Lao People’s Democratic Republic the status of dialogue partner of the SCO.

4. Decision of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation on granting the Organisation observer status in the Commonwealth of Independent States.

5. Decision of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation on the status of ‘Partner of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’.

6. Decision of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation on declaring Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyz Republic the Capital of Tourism and Culture of the SCO for 2025-2026.

7. Decision of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation on the authority of the SCO Secretary-General to sign the following documents:

- Protocol to the Agreement between the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the Government of the People’s Republic of China on the terms of the presence of the SCO Secretariat in China, dated 17 June 2004;

- Memorandum of Understanding between the Secretariat of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the Roscongress Foundation.

8. Decision of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation on approving reports on the Organisation’s activities for the past year:

- Report of the Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation on the Organisation’s activities for the past year;

- Report of the Council of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation on the activities of RATS in 2024.

9. Agreement between the Member States on the Anti-Drug Centre of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

10.Agreement between the Member States on the Universal Centre for Countering Security Challenges and Threats to Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

11.Statement by the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation on the 80thAnniversary of the End of World War II and the Founding of the United Nations (adopted without signature ).

12.Statement by the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation on Strengthening Cooperation in the Digital Economy (adopted without signature).

13.Statement by the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation on Sustainable Energy Development (adopted without signature).

14.Statement by the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation on Cooperation in the Field of ‘Green’ Industry (adopted without signature).

15.Statement by the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation on Further Deepening International Cooperation in the Field of Artificial Intelligence (adopted without s signature).

16.Statement by the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation on Supporting the Multilateral Trading System (adopted without signature).

17.Statement by the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation on Effectively Addressing and Countering the World Drug Problem (adopted without signature).

18.Statement by the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation on Strengthening Scientific, Technological, and Innovation Cooperation (adopted without signature).

1. Statement by the heads of authorised ministries and agencies of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Member States on Strengthening Investment Cooperation in Sustainable Development.

2. Protocol to the Agreement between the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the Government of the People’s Republic of China on the terms of the presence of the SCO Secretariat in China, dated 17 June 2004.