Bishkek, April 28, 2026 /Kabar/. The meeting of defense ministers of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states began today at the Ala-Archa state residence in Bishkek.
The defense ministers of nine SCO member states, the Deputy Defense Minister of Iran, and SCO Secretary General Nurlan Yermekbayev, are participating in the event.
It should be noted that bilateral meetings were held prior to the meeting.
Background: The SCO was founded on the basis of agreements on strengthening military trust and mutual reduction of armed forces in border areas, signed in 1996 and 1997 by Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan. Due to regular meetings between the leaders of these five countries, the organization was initially called the "Shanghai Five." In 2000, the organization's regional significance grew, and Uzbekistan joined that same year.
The SCO currently consists of 10 states: Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
Observer states: Afghanistan and Mongolia.
Dialogue partners: 15 states.