Shanghai Cooperation Organisation

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a Eurasian political, economic, and security alliance. It was founded in Shanghai on 15 June 2001 by the leaders of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. These countries, except for Uzbekistan, had been members of the Shanghai Five group, founded in 1996; after the inclusion of Uzbekistan in 2001, the members renamed the organization.

Objectives

The SCO aims to strengthen mutual trust and neighborliness among the member states. It promotes effective cooperation in politics, trade, economy, research, technology, and culture. The organization also focuses on education, energy, transport, tourism, environmental protection, and other areas. It is committed to safeguarding regional peace, security, and stability, and creating a new international political and economic order.

Structure

The SCO's main bodies include the Council of Heads of State, the Council of Heads of Government, the Council of Foreign Ministers, and the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS). The Secretariat of the SCO is based in Beijing, China.

Council of Heads of State

The Council of Heads of State is the supreme decision-making body in the SCO. It meets annually and adopts decisions and guidelines on all important matters of the organization.

Council of Heads of Government

The Council of Heads of Government approves the budget and considers issues related to economic cooperation within the SCO.

Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure

The Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) is a permanent organ of the SCO, which serves to promote cooperation of member states against the three evils of terrorism, separatism, and extremism.

Membership

The SCO has eight member states: China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. It also has four observer states: Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, and Mongolia.

Activities

The SCO conducts regular military exercises to promote cooperation and coordination against terrorism and other threats. It also engages in joint projects in various fields such as energy, transportation, and telecommunications.

Criticism

The SCO has been criticized for its lack of democratic values and human rights standards. Some analysts view it as a counterbalance to NATO and a means for China and Russia to exert influence in Central Asia.

See also

• Eurasian Economic Union
• Collective Security Treaty Organization
• BRICS

External links

• Official website of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation