Translated with AI
On June 12, 2026, an international conference entitled "Central Asia – the Core of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization: A Space of Peace and Joint Development" was held in Dushanbe. The event was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan, the Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, and the SCO Friendship and Cooperation Center in Tajikistan, according to the Tajik Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The conference was opened by Tajikistan's Foreign Minister, Sirojiddin Mukhriddin. In his address, he emphasized the importance of Central Asia as a key area of interaction within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and noted the need to further strengthen cooperation to ensure peace, stability, and sustainable development.
As noted during the event, the conference is part of the implementation of a provision first politically enshrined in the Dushanbe Declaration on the 20th Anniversary of the SCO, adopted by the heads of state of the organization in Dushanbe in September 2021. This year, the conference also coincides with the 25th anniversary of the SCO's founding.
The forum was attended by deputy foreign ministers of SCO member states, heads of United Nations agencies and regional organizations, as well as ambassadors of SCO member states and partner countries accredited in the Republic of Tajikistan.
During the opening ceremony, participants were presented with video messages from the SCO Secretary-General and the UN Deputy Secretary-General.
During the plenary session, the heads of delegations from the organization's member states exchanged views on the further development of cooperation. Representatives from the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of India, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the People's Republic of China, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Russian Federation, and the Republic of Uzbekistan participated in the discussion. In their speeches, they touched on strengthening mutual trust, expanding multilateral cooperation, and developing collaboration in various fields.
Particular attention was paid to the speeches of the heads of UN agencies and regional organizations, including ESCAP, the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, FAO, UNESCO, CICA, the CIS, the CSTO, and the ECO. Representatives of these organizations noted the role of the SCO as an important platform for dialogue and coordination of efforts on pressing regional and international issues.
The conference reaffirmed the SCO member states' commitment to strengthening constructive dialogue, developing partnerships, and deepening interaction based on principles of mutual respect, equality, and consideration of each other's interests.
