ISLAMABAD: The two-day 23rd meeting of the Council of the Heads of Government (CHG) of the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is starting on Tuesday with the delegates from members and other invited nations already arriving in Islamabad.
SCO Summit in Islamabad
The Summit will be held at the Jinnah Convention Center, the annual meeting of the SCO CHG – the second highest forum within the SCO – will be chaired by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as the current chair of the Council. Pakistan had assumed the rotating chair of the SCO CHG for 2023-24 at the last meeting held in Bishkek on October 26, 2023.
The leaders from the SCO member nations attending the summit include China’s Premier Li Qiang, Belarus’s Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko, Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Tajikistan’s Prime Minister Kohir Rasulzoda, Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov, Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref, Kyrgyzstan’s Chairman of Ministers’ Cabinet Zhaparov Akylbek, and Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.
Besides, Mongolia is taking part in the summit as an Observer State being represented by PM Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai and Turkmenistan as Special Guest represented by Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Rashid Meredov.
Among other dignitaries attending the conference include SCO Secretary-General Zhang Ming, Chairman of the Board of SCO Business Council Atif Ikram Shaikh, Director of Executive Committee SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) Ruslan Mirzayev and Chairman of the Council of SCO Interbank Union Marat Yelibayev.
On Tuesday evening, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will host the welcome dinner for the dignitaries participating in the high-level conference.
Leaders will Gather at Jinnah Convention Centre
On Wednesday the leaders would also gather at the Jinnah Convention Centre to discuss the current cooperation in the sectors of economy, environment, trade, socio-cultural linkages and review the performance of the SCO. The top leaders will also adopt important organizational decisions to further enhance cooperation among member States of the SCO and also approve the budget of the Organization.
Before the formal session starts, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz will welcome the leaders at the venue, followed by a group photo. The proceedings of the conference will start with PM Shehbaz’s opening remarks before the statements by the participating leaders.
Shehbaz Sharif will also deliver his concluding remarks following the signing of different documents by the participating leaders. Afterward, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, along with SCO Secretary-General Zhang Ming will deliver media statements to discuss the highlights and outcomes of the summit.
On Wednesday, Shehbaz Sharif will also host an official luncheon for the participating leaders.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, in a statement, had stated that the hosting of CHG by Pakistan reflected the abiding resolve of Pakistan to the purposes and principles of the SCO Charter and the values of the Shanghai Spirit.
Since becoming the member of SCO in 2017, Pakistan has worked consistently and constructively to strengthen good neighbourly ties and mutually beneficial cooperation among SCO member nations, she said.
Prominent analyst Dr. Zafar Nawaz Jaspal said that hosting the 23rd SCO-CHG meeting is a significant diplomatic achievement that negates the propaganda that Pakistan is isolated, enhances bilateral and multilateral socio-economic cooperation, harmonizes counterterrorism and law-enforcement policies, and reinforces cultural bonds with the Eurasian community. He expressed these views in his article that was published by WE News on Tuesday.
