On 18 March 2025, Astana hosted the first meeting of the Association of Investors of the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, chaired by Kazakhstan.
The participants, who represented authorised investment agencies from interested member states and the SCO Secretariat, discussed the current state of investment cooperation and prospects for its expansion, and exchanged views on potential areas for their joint activity within the SCO.
SCO Deputy Secretary-General Janesh Kain emphasised in his welcoming speech that the SCO gives priority to investment cooperation and providing financial support for projects aimed at more fully unlocking the region’s economic potential. He expressed hope that the Investors Association would focus on achieving specific positive outcomes and finding the most effective models of cooperation, including joint investment in the most significant projects.
Following the meeting, the participants adopted the Association’s Work Plan and signed the Minutes.
They also visited the Astana International Financial Centre and explored its business infrastructure, including the Court and the International Arbitration Centre.
The SCO Association of Investors was established following the decision of the SCO Heads of State Council at the Astana Summit on 4 July, 2024. It serves as a multilateral consulting and expert platform for promoting investment cooperation and interaction between the member states’ business communities and state bodies responsible for investment activities.
On 14 June 2019, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed in Bishkek between the SCO Secretariat and the Astana International Financial Centre.