SCO’s cooperation with observers and dialogue partners is an important element of its international agenda.
Article 14 in the SCO Charter provides for granting the status of dialogue partner or observer to interested countries or international organisations.
There are currently two countries with observer status within the SCO – the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and Mongolia.
The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan received observer status as per Decision No 6 of the SCO Heads of State Council dated 7 June 2012.
On 4 November 2005, the SCO and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan signed a protocol in Beijing to establish the SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group. An updated version of the Protocol between the SCO and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Establishing the SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group was signed on 10 June 2018. This advisory mechanism was tasked with devising proposals and recommendations for supporting efforts by Afghanistan and its people to rebuild a peaceful, stable state free from terrorism and extremism, and with a prospering economy.
Mongolia received observer status as per Decision No 12 of the Heads of State Council dated 17 June 2004. Its interaction with the SCO consists of Mongolian leaders taking part in the Heads of State Council meetings, attending SCO-Plus format events, meetings of heads of government (prime ministers), heads of SCO ministries and agencies, as well as by holding joint events.
There are 15 countries with SCO dialogue partner status, namely, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Bahrain, Egypt, Cambodia, Qatar, Kuwait, Laos, the Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Sri Lanka.
Unlike other outreach formats, dialogue partners sign a memorandum with the SCO. Dialogue partners maintain contacts with the SCO Secretariat, which forwards them the SCO’s Plan of Main Events in the beginning of each calendar year listing the gatherings they may be invited to attend, subject to coordination with SCO member states.
The Republic of Azerbaijan received dialogue partner status as per SCO Heads of State Council Decision No 11 dated 10 July 2015, and the memorandum to grant Azerbaijan the dialogue partner status was signed on 14 March 2016 in Beijing.
The Republic of Armenia received dialogue partner status as per SCO Heads of State Council Decision No 12 dated 10 July 2015, and the memorandum to grant Armenia dialogue partner status was signed on 14 March 2016 in Beijing.
The Kingdom of Bahrain received dialogue partner status as per SCO Heads of State Council Decision No 9 dated 10 September 2022, and the memorandum to grant Bahrain dialogue partner status was signed on 14 July 2023 in Beijing.
The Arab Republic of Egypt received dialogue partner status as per SCO Heads of State Council Decision No 21 dated 17 September 2021, and the memorandum to grant Egypt dialogue partner status was signed on 14 September 2022 in Tashkent.
The Kingdom of Cambodia received dialogue partner status as per SCO Heads of State Council Decision No 13 dated 10 July 2015, and the memorandum to grant Cambodia dialogue partner status was signed on 24 September 2015 in Xi An.
The State of Qatar received dialogue partner status as per SCO Heads of State Council Decision No 20 dated 17 September 2021, and the memorandum to grant Qatar dialogue partner status was signed on 14 September 2022 in Tashkent.
The State of Kuwait received dialogue partner status as per SCO Heads of State Council Decision No 12 dated 16 September 2022, and the memorandum to grant Kuwait dialogue partner status was signed on 5 May 2023 in Panaji.
The Lao People’s Democratic Republic received dialogue partner status as per SCO Heads of State Council Decision No 3 dated 1 September 2025.
The Republic of Maldives received dialogue partner status as per SCO Heads of State Council Decision No 8 dated 16 September 2022, and the memorandum to grant the Maldives dialogue partner status was signed on 5 May 2023 in Panaji.
The Republic of the Union of Myanmar received dialogue partner status as per SCO Heads of State Council Decision No 10 dated 16 September 2022, and the memorandum to grant Myanmar dialogue partner status was signed on 5 May 2023 in Panaji.
The Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal received dialogue partner status as per SCO Heads of State Council Decision No 14 dated 10 July 2015, and the memorandum to grant Nepal dialogue partner status was signed on 22 March 2016 in Beijing.
The United Arab Emirates received dialogue partner status as per SCO Heads of State Council Decision No 11 dated 16 September 2022, and the memorandum to grant the UAE dialogue partner status was signed on 5 May 2023 in Panaji.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia received dialogue partner status as per SCO Heads of State Council Decision No 22 dated 17 September 2021, and the memorandum to grant Saudi Arabia dialogue partner status was signed on 16 September 2022.
The Republic of Türkiye received dialogue partner status as per SCO Heads of State Council Decision No 7 dated 7 June 2012, and the memorandum to grant Türkiye dialogue partner status was signed on 26 April 2013 in Almaty.
The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka received dialogue partner status as per SCO Heads of State Council Decision No 2 dated 16 June 2009, and the memorandum to grant Sri Lanka dialogue partner status was signed on 6 May 2010 in Colombo.
On 1 September 2025, the SCO Heads of State Council adopted Decision No 4 at its Tianjin Summit to establish the SCO Partner status, while cancelling the observer and dialogue partner statuses.