Your Excellency President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev,
Your Excellencies Heads of State,
Distinguished Heads of Delegations,
It gives me great pleasure to attend the 24th meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. I thank Kazakhstan for its productive presidency and efforts in hosting the Summit.
First of all, I would like to congratulate President Alexandr Lukashenko on the official accession of the Republic of Belarus to the SCO and its participation in the Summit for the first time as a Member State. We also welcome the participation of Iran for the first time as a Member State.
Over the past year, under the strategic guidance of all the Heads of State, and adhering to the Shanghai Spirit, the SCO has further cemented political trust, expanded security cooperation, maintained regional peace and stability, promoted economic development and people-to-people exchanges, and achieved new progress in international cooperation. The SCO political and diplomatic capacity of emergency response has been improved, and its international influence significantly enhanced. The report on the activities of the SCO for 2023-2024 has been submitted in writing to Your Excellencies for your consideration. Please allow me to skip the details.
Earlier this year, we celebrated the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the SCO Secretariat. It is worth mentioning that H.E. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which currently holds the rotating presidency, attended the inauguration ceremony of the Secretariat in Beijing 20 years ago as Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister. Taking this opportunity, I wish to also extend the highest regard and deepest appreciation to H.E. Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China, for the favorable working conditions and strong support that the Chinese government as the host country has provided to the Secretariat.
Your Excellencies,
As the world is undergoing complex and profound changes, the SCO faces new threats and challenges, and embraces new opportunities. The people of the Member States have placed new and higher expectations on the SCO. Against this backdrop, I have had the privilege of serving the SCO for nearly three years. Here, I would like to express my most heartfelt gratitude to all the Heads of State for your trust and support, and share the following observations.
First, the SCO has benefited and will continue to benefit from the Shanghai Spirit in the course of its development and progress. By strengthening strategic communication, mutual trust and mutual benefit and joining hands to tackle external challenges, the Member States will be able to secure lasting and common peace, stability and prosperity in our region and the world at large amid the complex dynamics.
Second, security cooperation is a shining example of the success of the SCO. As our people yearn for a constant sense of security, the SCO security cooperation will be an everlasting pursuit that has no “finish line”. Moreover, the recent spate of terrorist incidents in the region reminds us that the SCO needs to further deepen and expand its security cooperation, and that the importance of stepping up security cooperation can never be overemphasized.
Third, in an international economic environment fraught with instability and uncertainty, the people look forward to new breakthroughs in the SCO economic cooperation, which may bring them a tangible sense of fulfillment.
Fourth, people-to-people exchanges have effectively enhanced the presence of the SCO among the peoples of Member States and its visibility in the international community. We look forward to diverse people-to-people interactions via the joint endeavor of governments and peoples. This will help foster close bonds between our peoples and widely spread the Shanghai Spirit.
Fifth, Central Asia is at the core of the SCO. The security and prosperity of Central Asia bears on the stability and development of the entire SCO region.
Sixth, over the past three years, the SCO “network of partners” has expanded notably, with the number of Member States growing to double digits, that of Dialogue Partners increased by eight, and members of the SCO family reaching 26. In addition, the SCO has established cooperative partnerships with the League of Arab States and the United Nations Environment Programme, etc. This shows that the fundamental principles and objectives of the SCO have gained growing support and recognition. It is hoped that this sound momentum will be maintained. This will allow the SCO to be more active, open and confident in the international arena with wider influence.
Seventh, the sustained development of the SCO requires an efficient, high-standard and robust Secretariat. To this end, we at the Secretariat have improved internal management and training, implemented rules and regulations in a more stringent and serious manner, and launched an electronic document management system. In the meantime, I hope that in the framework of modernization and reform of the SCO, there will be measures to improve the personnel system of the Secretariat, set up new divisions, increase human and financial resources, and further tap the role of Permanent Representatives of the Member States. In this regard, I count on the interest and support of all Member States.
Last but no least, let me once again thank Kazakhstan for its excellent work and congratulate China on taking over the rotating presidency. The Secretariat team will, as always, perform its duties and assist the Chinese presidency and all Member States in realizing the strategic goals and long-term plans of the SCO.
Thank you.