The authorities of Kazakhstan during its presidency in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will increase its role in the international arena. President of the country Kassym-Jomart Tokayev made a statement about it at the virtual meeting of the Council of the SCO Heads of State.
"Under its forthcoming presidency in this reputable organization, Kazakhstan will continue to enhance its global role and promote the strengthening of friendship and good neighborliness in the SCO," Tokayev said. According to him, one of the priorities will also be "ensuring security and stability in the SCO space."
"At this stage, the main task of our countries should be to prevent a geopolitical rift between the East and the West. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization can and must offer the world community its vision of sustainable peace. Therefore, within the framework of its presidency Kazakhstan will present the initiative "On World Unity for a Just Peace and Accord," said the president of Kazakhstan. He noted that this comprehensive document will incorporate the principles of strengthening confidence-building measures and maintaining stability and security.
Energy cooperation
The president of Kazakhstan also proposed to agree upon an energy strategy for the SCO summit in 2024 and to create an investment fund within the association.
"Strengthening energy cooperation. Establishing systematic cooperation in this area is of particular relevance today. We need to coordinate the work on the energy balance and coordinated actions aimed at the energy transition and decarbonization of the economy," he said talking about the priorities of Kazakhstan's presidency in the SCO in 2023-2024.
In this regard, the head of state proposed to agree on the SCO energy strategy by the next summit of the organization to be held in 2024 in Astana. "The adoption of this document will contribute to the implementation of the UN sustainable development agenda," Tokayev explained. The president of Kazakhstan also invited the leaders of the association's countries to participate in next year's summit in the republic's capital.
Given the extreme importance of this issue, the president declared his readiness to hold an SCO energy forum in Kazakhstan. "Thorough discussion of the prospects for cooperation in this industry will allow developing consolidated approaches to ensure energy security and balanced development of our countries," he believes.
The president of Kazakhstan also invited the leaders of the association to participate in the upcoming SCO summit in Astana in 2024.
Development strategy
In addition, Tokayev called to adopt a new SCO development strategy.
"I believe it is time to adopt a new SCO development strategy. Kazakhstan has developed a draft of this document and plans to present it during its upcoming presidency," he said during the association's online summit.
According to him, the new strategy is designed to expand the association's agenda in the most promising areas of interaction. "Further improvement of the organization's activities will be an important step in responding effectively to new challenges and adapting the SCO to modern realities. I suggest that by the next summit in Astana we adopt the concept of strengthening the SCO's potential with due consideration of Kazakhstan's proposals aimed at achieving exactly this goal," the head of state noted.
Tokayev stressed that the SCO has steadily embarked on the path of renewal, which opens up even greater opportunities. "At the new stage of development our work can no longer be based on outdated approaches. In our joint work on strengthening the SCO's potential, we should distance ourselves from bilateral issues and focus all our efforts on the implementation of existing agreements," the president of Kazakhstan stressed.
GSV "Russia - Islamic world"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS