Shanghai Cooperation Organisation

SCO logo

Structure of the SCO

Shanghai Cooperation Organization (Шанхайская организация сотрудничества - 上海合作组织)

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Hamid Karzai at SCO Summit

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Putin and Hu JintaoPeace Mission 2007

SCO Summit Ekaterinburg 2009

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation

150px
300px Member states and observers of the SCO
Abbreviation	SCO
Formation	15 June 2001
Type	Intergovernmental organization
Headquarters	Beijing, China
Membership	8 member states, 4 observer states, 6 dialogue partners
Official languages	Chinese, Russian
Secretary-General	Zhang Ming

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a Eurasian political, economic, and security alliance. It was founded on 15 June 2001 in Shanghai, China by the leaders of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The SCO is the successor to the Shanghai Five, which was established in 1996.

History

The SCO was established to ensure security and maintain stability across the vast Eurasian region, to promote cooperation in various fields such as politics, trade, economy, and culture, and to enhance mutual trust and neighborly relations among the member states. The founding members of the SCO are China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. In 2017, India and Pakistan became full members of the organization.

Objectives

The main objectives of the SCO are to:

• Strengthen mutual trust and neighborliness among the member states.
• Promote effective cooperation in politics, trade, economy, research, technology, and culture.
• Enhance joint efforts to maintain and ensure peace, security, and stability in the region.
• Move towards the establishment of a democratic, fair, and rational new international political and economic order.

Structure

The SCO's structure includes several key bodies:

• The Council of Heads of State is the top decision-making body in the SCO.
• The Council of Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) deals with economic and other cooperation issues.
• The Council of Foreign Ministers considers issues related to day-to-day activities.
• The Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) is a permanent organ of the SCO which serves to promote cooperation of member states against terrorism, separatism, and extremism.
• The Secretariat is the main permanent executive body of the SCO, based in Beijing.

Membership

The SCO has eight member states:

• China
• India
• Kazakhstan
• Kyrgyzstan
• Pakistan
• Russia
• Tajikistan
• Uzbekistan

The organization also has four observer states and six dialogue partners.

Activities

The SCO conducts various activities, including:

• Annual summits where heads of state and government meet to discuss and decide on major issues.
• Joint military exercises to enhance cooperation and coordination among member states' armed forces.
• Cultural exchanges to promote mutual understanding and friendship among the peoples of the member states.
• Economic cooperation projects aimed at enhancing trade and investment among member states.

Related Pages

• Shanghai Five
• Eurasian Economic Union
• Collective Security Treaty Organization
• BRICS
• ASEAN

See Also

• Foreign relations of China
• Foreign relations of Russia
• Geopolitics of Central Asia