19th SCO Summit: expectations are high

Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) 19th summit is scheduled to be held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on 13-14 June 2019. It is a Eurasian political, economic, and security alliance, the creation of which was announced on 15 June 2001 in Shanghai, China by the leaders of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; but its Charter, formally establishing the organization, was signed in June 2002 and entered into force on 19 September 2003. The original five nations, with the exclusion of Uzbekistan, were previously members of the Shanghai Five group, founded on 26 April 1996. Since then, the organization has expanded its membership to eight countries when India and Pakistan joined SCO as full members on 9 June 2017 at a summit in Astana, Kazakhstan.  There are 4 observer states Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, and Mongolia. While 6 countries are dialogue partners: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Turkey. It is well understood that the organization may expand in the future extending full membership to other countries too. 

 

The Heads of State Council (HSC) is the supreme decision-making body in the SCO, it meets once a year and adopts decisions and guidelines on all important matters of the organization. This summit will be 19th in its series and will be held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on 13-14 June 2019.

 

All head of states (Presidents/ Prime ministers) is expected to attend the subject summit. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan will be attending this year’s summit. All preparations are in place for his trip. He is also scheduled to meet President Putin and President Xi on sideline meetings and expected to discuss broad spectrum all issues on by lateral basis. Especially the changing geopolitics of the region and mutual cooperation in all dimensions. He might avail this opportunity to meet Prime Minister Modi too.

 

In fact, Pakistan is a pivotal state to bridge Eurasia and on the gateway to Arabian Ocean – Hot Waters. Pakistan is set to play an important trade route to Eurasia to the rest of the world. It will be all-weather, shortest, and most economical trade route. It might change the trade pattern for the whole world. Pakistan’s deep-sea Gwadar seaport will be the hub of all future commercial activities.

Pakistan enjoys historical, cultural and religious links with most of the central Asian states. China is all-weather, time tested liable friend, Russia is also a country of shared destiny. Russia and Pakistan are suffering western coercion and sanctions alike victim of their aggressive policies. 

 

 

While all head of states will meet, it is expected to come up with the solutions to maintain the stability of the region, peace, and development of the region. This region inhabits almost half of the world’s population. Stability of this region means the stability of the whole world. 

 

This region is rich in natural resources and abundance of human resource. There exists a huge potential for this region to overcome poverty, and gain prosperity. There is a dire need to promote cooperation, mutual understanding, harmony, and stability. The region is facing extremism, terrorism, and instability. The leaders may come up with a concrete strategy to fight against the menace of extremism, terrorism and divide among ethnicity. 

 

The expectations are high and it is need of the time to take extraordinary measures to overcome the merging challenges in this region. Trust, “there is a will there is a way”.