On September 1, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev attended the anniversary meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Bishkek. Chaired by Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, the leaders of the member states discussed the organization's 25 years of activity, regional stability, and the further expansion of multilateral cooperation.
In his speech, Mirziyoyev noted that over the past 25 years, the SCO has proven its relevance, ensuring equal dialogue, regional stability, and sustainable development. Amid rising geopolitical tensions, the president emphasized the need to maintain dialogue and de-escalate international conflicts.
One of Uzbekistan's key initiatives was the proposal to develop the concept of "SCO 2040: A Space for Common Development." Tashkent envisions this concept as facilitating the formation of an interconnected space where investment, technological exchange, infrastructure, and industrial projects expand.
Mirziyoyev also proposed creating an SCO Industrial Cooperation Map and a portfolio of joint projects in transport, energy, industry, and digital infrastructure, taking into account the launch of the SCO Development Bank. Special attention was paid to artificial intelligence, water and energy security, food, and transport corridors.
Uzbekistan supported the creation of a Universal Center for Countering Security Challenges and Threats in Tashkent and proposed intensifying the SCO's dialogue with Afghanistan.
Mirziyoyev's initiatives demonstrate that Tashkent seeks to see the SCO not only as a security mechanism but also as a full-fledged platform for economic and technological development. Proposals on industrial cooperation, digitalization, artificial intelligence, and transport integration are particularly important.
For Central Asia, this creates opportunities to further integrate regional economies into the emerging space of Eurasian connectivity and transform the SCO from a primarily political format into a more practical development tool.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
September 1, 2026