Two-day SCO Summit kicks off today in Islamabad
Pakistan
PM Shehbaz will also hold important bilateral meetings with visiting heads of delegations.
The SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting will discuss ongoing cooperation in fields of economy, trade, environment and socio-cultural linkages
The SCO Summit is anticipated to serve as a key platform for fostering regional cooperation, bolstering trade and investment
The experts said that the SCO summit represents a pivotal moment for regional diplomacy and deepening economic cooperation
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit will start today (Tuesday) in the federal capital Islamabad amid tight security, Dunya News reported. The Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will preside over the meeting.
The SCO member states will be represented by Prime Ministers of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as well as the First Vice President of Iran and External Affairs Minister of India.
Premier of the State Council of China Li Qiang will represent his country.
The Prime Minister of Mongolia as Observer State, and Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan as Special Guest, will also participate in the meeting.
The SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting will discuss ongoing cooperation in fields of economy, trade, environment and socio-cultural linkages and review the performance of the Organization.
The Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will also hold important bilateral meetings with visiting heads of delegations on the sidelines of the Summit.
The SCO Summit is anticipated to serve as a key platform for fostering regional cooperation, bolstering trade and investment besides enhancing socio-economic-cultural linkages among its member states.
Diplomatic and political experts maintained that this important meeting of the heads of governments of SCO’s member states will not only help work together to address the pressing regional issues but also significantly enhance Pakistan’s role on the global stage as a leader.
The SCO, which includes member states accounting for approximately 40 percent of the global population, and 32 percent of the world’s GDP, presents Pakistan with an excellent opportunity to shape its economic and investment future.
The SCO’s roots trace back to the Shanghai Five established in 1996, evolving significantly after Uzbekistan joined in 2001, and more recently, Pakistan became a full member in 2017 after excellently performing its observer’s role during 2015-17.
The experts said the collective strength of the SCO could be harnessed through collaborative initiatives aimed at promoting regional cooperation and deepening economic cooperation vital for the shared prosperity of people of all SCO states.
They said that Pakistan’s significance in the region enhanced after CPEC, making Pakistan an ideal destination for investment.
For Pakistan, they said fostering an environment of open dialogue and cooperation would be essential in addressing key challenges besides trade barriers and expressed the hope that Pakistan would effectively highlight its viewpoint on regional issues.
The experts said that the SCO summit represents a pivotal moment for regional diplomacy and deepening economic cooperation, with the potential to significantly impact not only Pakistan positively but also the regional countries.
