AKIPRESS.COM - President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, at the invitation of Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, took part in a regular meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO Member States via videoconference on July 4, UzA reported.

The event chaired by the Indian side was also attended by President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of China Xi Jinping, President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Zhaparov, Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif, President of Rusia Vladimir Putin, President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, and SCO Secretary-General Zhang Ming and Director of the RATS Executive Committee Ruslan Mirzayev.

President of Iran Ebrahim Raisi, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, President of Mongolia Khurelsukh Ukhnaa, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and heads of international organizations attended the summit as observer countries and guests of honor.

In accordance with the agenda, an exchange of views took place on the current issues of regional and international themes, and prospects for further enhancing multifaceted and mutually beneficial cooperation were discussed.

The President of Uzbekistan, in his speech, assessed the ongoing fundamental changes in the system of international relations – the increase in geopolitical tension and escalation of conflicts, the emergence of new risks and threats to global stability and sustainable development, the growing challenges in ecology, food, and energy security.

Referring to the activities of the SCO, the President of Uzbekistan drew attention to the fact that the success of this organization is ensured by strict observance of its basic principles. It is a non-bloc status, a strong commitment to openness, equality, and consensus-based decision-making.

To further maintain and strengthen the leading role of the SCO as an effective international structure in addressing the most pressing issues on the regional agenda, it was proposed to conduct an inventory of the agreements and decisions adopted, audit the activities of institutions and cooperation mechanisms, and accelerate the implementation of agreements on the modernization of the SCO. The need to implement a joint research project on the prospects for the organization’s development within the framework of the SCO expert forum was noted.

The President of Uzbekistan put forward an initiative to develop a multilateral political document – the Code of Good Neighborliness, Trust and Cross-Border Partnership of the SCO.

"Today, more than ever, the initiative to form a common space for increasing intra-regional trade, industrial and technological cooperation is relevant," Mirziyoyev noted.

He also proposed adopting the SCO New Economic Dialogue Program covering innovative development, digitalization and robotics, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and other industries of the future.

To promote projects in these areas, the President proposed to hold in Uzbekistan the Innovative Partnership Week of the regions of the SCO member states with the organization of a joint exhibition of high technologies.

Touching upon transport and communication issues, the President of Uzbekistan initiated the development of the Single Map of Transport Connectivity of the SCO States.

Supporting the announcement of the next year as the Year of Ecology across the SCO space, Mirziyoyev proposed, as part of implementing the Green Belt Program, to prepare a Joint Action Plan to promote regional environmental projects and introduce green technologies.

The President of Uzbekistan expressed his readiness to hold a scientific and practical conference on the development of the SCO tourism industry within the framework of the anniversary session of the General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization in October 2023 based on the Silk Road International University of Tourism and Cultural Heritage in Samarkand.

It was also proposed to introduce the practice of forming an annual calendar of intensive cultural exchange and prepare a program of activities to expand youth exchange.

Mirziyoyev also suggested resuming joint work and consultations in the "SCO – Afghanistan" Contact Group format.

The heads of the SCO member states signed the New Delhi Declaration, the decision on approval of the Economic Development Strategy in the SCO region until 2030, the decision to complete the procedure for admitting Iran to the SCO, and other documents.