On 18–20 February 2026, the International Scientific and Practical Conference “Building Trust in the Institution of Elections and Referendums: The Role of International Observation” was held in Saint-Petersburg. The event marked the 20th anniversary of the International Institute for Monitoring theDevelopment of Democracy of the Interparliamentary Assembly of the Commonwealth of Independent States (IPA CIS).
The conference was co-organized by the International Institute for Monitoring Democracy Development, Parliamentarianism and Suffrage Protection of Citizens of the IPA CIS Member Nations and the Consultative Council of the Heads of Electoral Bodies of the CIS Member States.
Welcoming remarks were extended to the participants by Valentina Matvienko, the Chairperson of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, Sergey Lebedev, Secretary-General of the CIS, and other senior officials.
In his video address to the delegates, Nurlan Yermekbaev, Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, stressed that the SCO conducts international observation of elections and referendums in strict accordance with the provisions of the Statute on the SCO Observer Mission and adheres firmly to the following principles: unconditional respect for the sovereignty and national legislation of the host country, objectivity and impartiality, mutual responsibility between the host country and the Mission, and transparency in the Mission’s operations.
It was noted that the SCO has accumulated considerable experience in monitoring activities over the years. More than 75 observer missions have been deployed to SCO member states and other countries. This underscores the high relevance of the SCO’s constructive and balanced approach in this area. The Organization reaffirmed its commitment to continuing to contribute to international election observation efforts, in line with the SCO’s fundamental principles and the spirit of constructive cooperation.