Marking the organization's 25th anniversary, Kyrgyzstan is serving as the host and rotating chair of the SCO this year. Preparations for the upcoming SCO summit and the opening ceremony of the 6th World Nomad Games are being finalized in Bishkek. Heads of state and high-ranking representatives from more than 20 countries are expected to visit the capital during these days.
Hosting two major international events in Bishkek during this period will be one of the most significant events for the country. The capital is preparing to host foreign leaders and numerous delegations, as well as ensuring enhanced security, efficient transport logistics, and the smooth conduct of protocol events.
From the "Shanghai Five" to the "SCO+" format
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization traces its roots to the "Shanghai Five," established in 1996. It included China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. The organization was officially established in 2001.
Currently, the SCO comprises 10 states: Kyrgyzstan, China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, India, Iran, and Belarus. In addition, Mongolia and Afghanistan hold observer status, and more than ten countries are dialogue partners, including Azerbaijan, Turkiye, and Kuwait.
The upcoming meeting in Bishkek will be held in the expanded "SCO+" format. Leaders of more than two dozen states and representatives of international delegations are expected to attend.
Yrys-Ordo: A venue for international events
One of the key venues for hosting high-ranking guests will be the new Yrys-Ordo State Congress Center. Its grand opening took place on August 24 with the participation of Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov.
The complex is located on 14.7 hectares. Its total area exceeds 39,000 square meters and can accommodate over 2,000 people at a time.
The Kurultai Central Congress Hall seats 1,238. The complex also features a banquet hall for 1,000 people, a press room for 235 people, and specialized rooms for bilateral negotiations.
The complex includes eight guest houses with a total area of 3,250 square meters, each with 14 rooms. They are named after Bishkek and seven regions of the republic.
There are 258 parking spaces available for vehicles, 50 of which are indoors and 208 are outdoor. Over 11 km of new cable lines have been installed to ensure an uninterrupted power supply.
Yrys-Ordo was designed as a multifunctional complex. Its facilities are planned for future commercial use, hosting international forums, exhibitions, and corporate events.
Modernization of Manas airport and a fan zone for city residents
The capital's main airport, Manas International Airport, has completed a large-scale renovation and is ready to welcome a large influx of guests during international events.
As part of the preparations, other key facilities in the capital, including the Bishkek Arena sports complex, are also being made ready.
Fan zones will be set up for residents and visitors of the capital to watch live broadcasts of the opening ceremony of the 6th World Nomad Games and the main events of the SCO summit.
The main fan zone will be located in Ala-Too Square. Additional broadcast sites will be set up in all four administrative districts of Bishkek.
Expert Opinion: SCO, Transit potential, and scientific development
The upcoming summit is also generating interest among the expert community.
Artem Khan, an analyst at the Beijing-based think tank Grandview Institution, commented to Kabar on the special significance of the upcoming SCO summit for Kyrgyzstan, particularly given the country's inauguration on the UN Security Council.
"For Kyrgyzstan, hosting the SCO summit, especially after gaining of its membership on the UN Security Council, signifies a fundamentally new diplomatic level. Preparations are visible not only on paper but also visually. The country is transforming, and our foreign partners will see this progress with their own eyes.
Today, Bishkek approaches the summit as a reliable ally, ready to guarantee agreements while also firmly and pragmatically defending its own national interests.
In terms of substance, transport arteries and infrastructure routes remain key for us, capable of transforming the republic into a full-fledged transit hub.
Furthermore, President Sadyr Zhaparov's initiative to create the SCO Development Bank is of particular significance. For Kyrgyzstan, the organization's own financial institution is a path to debt sustainability and attracting long-term investment.
An equally important issue on the agenda will be environmental sustainability.
"The danger and conservation of the region's water resources.
The SCO has long ceased to be a platform for protocol statements and has become a mechanism for launching large-scale joint projects. From a foreign policy perspective, Bishkek is cementing its status as a key negotiator in Eurasia, and from an economic perspective, it is receiving direct investment, new markets, and impetus for the large-scale modernization of its infrastructure," he noted.
Baktygul Kalambekova, Head of Department at the Institute of Public Administration and Law of the National Academy of Sciences under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, also in her comments to Kabar said that over a quarter of a century, the SCO has evolved into a major association, uniting significant demographic and economic resources of Eurasia.
"By acting as a stable diplomatic platform, the organization prevents conflicts and strengthens a multipolar world. Kyrgyzstan, as a founding country, has actively participated in its work from the very beginning, which has helped us balance foreign policy, strengthen security, and engage in major transport and energy projects.
Today, the SCO's functions are undergoing fundamental changes. According to the Development Strategy to 2035 and the "SCO+" initiative, the emphasis is shifting to science, innovation, green industry, and digitalization. However, realizing this potential requires reliable mechanisms.
Since 2012, the SCO has had a Conference of Heads of Ministries of Science and Technology, but it addresses administrative and budgetary issues. Fundamental research, however, is the prerogative of academies of sciences, which enjoy high status but differ in nature and mechanisms from government departments.
Today, technological sovereignty and the development of artificial intelligence directly depend on fundamental research. "Unless we establish systemic integration of the fundamental scientific schools of the member countries, achieving a profound technological breakthrough within the union will be extremely difficult," she said.
The municipality's position: the city's readiness and time constraints
In a comment to the Kabar news agency, the Bishkek mayor's office reported that the capital is almost completely ready to receive guests. These large-scale events will coincide with the celebration of the 35th anniversary of the independence of the Kyrgyz Republic.
Sanitation work in the city, decoration of streets with symbols of the participating countries, and inspection of life support systems are currently being completed.
Due to security protocol requirements and the presence of high-ranking government officials, a number of temporary measures will be introduced in the city from August 29 to September 2.
Underground pedestrian crossings will be closed from 3:00 PM on August 29 to September 2. After a canine inspection, bomb disposal services will seal the crossings at the following locations:
- Manas village, Vasilievsky Trakt;
- intersection of Chui and Manas Avenues;
- intersection of Chui Avenue and Y. Abdrakhmanov Street (Old Bishkek);
- intersection of Ch. Aitmatov Avenue and M. Gorky Street.
- The opening hours of markets and shopping centers will also be changed.
- The Osh-Bazary shopping mall will suspend operations from August 30 to September 2.
- The Sary-Ozon market will be closed from August 31 to September 2.
- The Alamedin and Orto-Sai markets will be closed from August 31 to September 1.
Large shopping centers such as TSUM, GUM, Bishkek Park, Asia Mall, Ala-Archa, Vefa, Torgovy Dom, Goin, Tommy Mall, and Beta Stores-1 will suspend operations from August 31 to September 1.
The Summit's Legacy for Bishkek
The mayor's office emphasizes that the main goal of these large-scale projects is the long-term development of the urban environment.
In preparation for international events in Bishkek, key highways have been repaired, building facades have been updated, street lighting and traffic signal systems have been modernized, and new trees and shrubs have been planted.
Temporary protocol restrictions will last for several days, while the renovated road and utility infrastructure will remain available to residents. Hosting major international events also contributes to strengthening Kyrgyzstan's international image and developing the capital as a venue for high-level events.
