Active preparations for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit are clearly visible. Roads, new urban infrastructure facilities, modern buildings, sports arenas, and entire residential neighborhoods are being built in the capital. At the same time, public gardens, fountain complexes, and recreational areas for residents are being developed. The appearance of Bishkek is changing, and this is not only due to the planned international events. More importantly, thanks to cooperation with its closest partners, Kyrgyzstan has strengthened its economy and has plans and resources for further development. Kyrgyzstan can demonstrate the changes to country guests, including the heads of major global powers such as Russia, China, India, and Pakistan, and the changes are shaping a new development paradigm. Kyrgyzstan has changed in recent years, succeeded in achieving stability and building pragmatic and mutually beneficial relations with reliable partners.
The external transformation is happening, not only in the capital but also in other major cities in Kyrgyzstan.
However, SCO is ultimately more than politics; it is geopolitics, as decisions made within the Organization undoubtedly influence the global agenda. Kyrgyzstan’s chairmanship of this prestigious international organization is a great responsibility, especially when the world is extremely unstable, the old system of international order has deteriorated, and the multipolar order has not yet fully established itself. Bishkek is hosting the SCO Heads of State Summit at a turning point in world history, becoming, if anything, one of the decision-making centers that will shape the new geopolitical reality.
SCO is currently improving its mechanisms of interaction and developing institutions that will enable the SCO to make faster and more effective decisions, secure resources for infrastructure projects, and strengthen and realize the economic potential of its partner countries. Kyrgyzstan, as the current chair, is carefully considering all matters related to the upcoming summit. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Kyrgyzstan Irina Orolbaeva discussed these important details in comments with Kabar.
"The chairmanship isn't just about organizing events at various levels; it's also, above all, about meticulously drafting documents. Under the SCO's consensus rule, the chair must take into account the opinions of all participants and find a solution that satisfies the interests of all without exception. Currently, 10 member states make unified decisions in the SCO. Consider such a diverse composition to understand the level of responsibility. A striking example for us is the decision taken at last summit to establish the SCO Development Bank; the initiative to establish it was put forward by Kyrgyzstan almost two decades ago.
But we have consistently included this issue on the agenda of our regular meetings and worked meticulously. I hope that, through our joint efforts, we can start this project," the diplomat noted.
Bishkek will host the summit with 25th anniversary of the Organization's founding, before was known as the "Shanghai Five." Our country has chosen the motto "25 Years of the SCO: Together Towards Sustainable Peace, Development, and Prosperity." This is the leitmotif of all meetings and events held in the capital under the auspices of Kyrgyzstan's SCO Presidency, bringing together heads of ministries, industry sectors, and security agencies.
In this context, it is important to recall that the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway is supported by all SCO countries. Thus, it is essentially one of the Organization's key projects to create a new transport framework for Eurasia. It will be the anchor point of a new trade distribution network that will connect the north and south, east and west of the continent along the shortest possible distance. In the foreseeable future, the route through Kyrgyzstan will become a key artery supporting economic activity and the development of a vast area of cooperation.
Of course, as long as the international situation remains tense, regional security issues will receive special attention from SCO partners. Irina Orolbaeva focused on these aspects separately.
"The Shanghai Cooperation Organization has become a respected regional organization worldwide. Its role in strengthening ties between member countries is growing every year. The participation of an increasing number of countries in the organization's activities demonstrates its expanding role."
The results of the SCO Defense Ministers' Meeting held on April 28 in Bishkek drew the world's attention to the fact that we are holding these meetings at a turbulent moment in modern history, involving the Organization's members. It depends on the ability to translate the member states' ideas into a unified SCO position. Therefore, we speak of the great responsibility we have in our chairmanship and of a window of opportunity during which we can facilitate the expansion of ties in political, economic, and cultural cooperation and make a meaningful contribution to strengthening collective security, particularly in Central Asia. I believe it's essential to focus the attention of SCO participants on the fact that, as the heads of state have agreed, Central Asia is the core of the SCO, the Organization's focus.
The upcoming SCO summit in Bishkek is also being held in conjunction with the celebration of the 35th anniversary of the Kyrgyz Republic's independence and holding the World Nomad Games, which have become a national symbol for Kyrgyzstan. This means a large number of distinguished guests will attend these events, which in turn enhances the SCO's prestige. We must all strive to make every effort, demonstrate unity, and showcase the hospitality and creativity inherent in the people of our republic," the ambassador emphasized.
The SCO is a new type of partnership, based on mutual respect for the national economic and other interests of each member state. The emerging system of more equitable trade relations creates conditions for the development of industry, agriculture, and other economic sectors, including high technology and AI. Access to new markets enables the expansion and expansion of production. The basis for developing cooperation is expanding, creating new growth areas.
The SCO is stable and sustainable, fully resourced, and has development potential for several decades. Another advantage of the organization is that its security system is based on the principles of indivisibility. This vast area of cooperation must be reliably protected.