The meetings of the Secretaries of the Security councils of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (“SCO” or “Organisation”) member states is a coordination and consultation mechanism for security cooperation across the SCO.
Security council secretaries of the SCO member states (“Security Council Secretaries”) conduct their meetings in line with the SCO Charter of 7 June 2002, resolutions of the SCO Heads of State Council, international treaties and other documents adopted by the SCO, as well as corresponding regulations.
The meetings of the secretaries of the security councils are primarily aimed at coordinating the SCO member states’ efforts in countering modern challenges and security threats, including measures to counter terrorism, separatism and extremism, illegal arms trade, illegal migration, transnational organised crime and other threats to national, regional and international security.
The meetings of the secretaries of the security councils are held on the territory of the presiding member state at least once a year, scheduled through the SCO Secretariat. Extraordinary meetings are convened at the initiative of at least two members and with the consent of all the other member states.
A quorate meeting is attended by all SCO member states, including at least two-thirds represented by security council secretaries. Security council secretaries appointing their authorised representatives to participate in a meeting file a written notice thereof to the SCO Secretariat not later than one week before the scheduled meeting.
Potential meeting participants include national coordinators of the SCO member states, the SCO Secretary-General, Director of the Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS), as well as representatives of government bodies from the SCO states.
The Security Council Secretary of the SCO member state where the meeting is held presides over the meeting unless participating secretaries decide otherwise.
In the past, the meetings of the secretaries of the security councils were held as follows:
1. 4 June 2024, Tashkent, Uzbekistan;
2. 2 June 2005, Astana, Kazakhstan;
3. 25 May 2007, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan;
4. 20 May 2009, Moscow, Russia;
5. 23 April 2010, Tashkent, Uzbekistan;
6. 29 April 2011, Astana, Kazakhstan;
7. 12 April 2012, Beijing, China;
8. 29 April 2013, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan;
9. 17 April 2014, Dushanbe, Tajikistan;
10. 14 April 2015, Moscow, Russia;
11. 14 April 2016, Tashkent, Uzbekistan;
12. 6 April 2017, Astana, Kazakhstan;
13. 22 May 2018, Beijing, China;
14. 15 May 2019, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan;
15. 15 September 2020, Moscow, Russia;
16. 23 June 2021, Dushanbe, Tajikistan, hybrid format;
17. 19 August 2022, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, hybrid format;
18. 29 March 2023, New Delhi, hybrid format;
19. 2–3 April 2024, Astana, Kazakhstan;
20. 24 June 2025, Tianjin, China.