On 5 September 2025, at the 95th plenary meeting of the 79th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, a resolution of the UN General Assembly entitled “Cooperation between the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization” was adopted with the support of 120 votes.
The draft document was developed by the People’s Republic of China, which is holding the SCO Chairmanship in 2024–2025. The resolution was co-sponsored by 37 States, including all SCO member States.
The resolution notes that the SCO has become an important regional organization for addressing security issues in the region in all their aspects. It emphasizes the constructive role of the SCO in promoting peace and sustainable development, fostering regional cooperation, and strengthening good-neighborly relations and mutual trust.
Recognizing the role of regional initiatives in supporting sustainable development, the resolution highlights the SCO initiative “On Global Unity for a Just World, Harmony and Development”, announced by Kazakhstan during its chairmanship at the “SCO Plus” summit (Astana, 4 July 2024).
The efforts of the SCO aimed at expanding cooperation with other international and regional organizations are acknowledged, and the importance of strengthening dialogue, partnership, and coordination between the United Nations and the SCO is underlined.
The General Assembly recommended that the Secretary-General of the United Nations continue to hold regular consultations with the Secretary-General of the SCO, using appropriate inter-agency mechanisms and meeting formats. In addition, relevant UN specialized agencies, programs and funds are encouraged to cooperate with the SCO in areas of common interest, in particular in the implementation of projects and programs aimed at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
Since 2 December 2004, the SCO has held observer status at the UN General Assembly.