All About SCO
About the SCO:
- The SCO was established as an international intergovernmental organization.
- The objective of this Eurasian political, economic, and military institution is to maintain peace, security, and stability in the region.
- The SCO Charter was signed in 2002 and went into force in 2003.
Genesis:
- Prior to the creation of the SCO in 2001, the Shanghai Five, which comprised Tajikistan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Russia, existed.
- The Shanghai Five (1996) was the outcome of numerous border delineation and demilitarisation talks between China and the four former Soviet republics in order to maintain peace along the borders.
- Uzbekistan joined the Shanghai Five in 2001, and the organisation later adopted the name SCO.
- India and Pakistan joined in 2017.
- According to rumours, Iran will become a full member of the SCO on September 17, 2021.
Objectives:
- fostering a sense of cooperation and neighbourliness among the member states.
- promoting effective cooperation in the areas of trade, the economy, research, and culture.
- developing ties in industries like tourism, energy, transportation, and environmental protection.
- sustain and preserve the peace, security, and stability of the region.
- the establishment of a new, democratic, equitable, and rational world political and economic order.
Membership:
- Iran, China, India, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Uzbekistan are the other countries mentioned.
Structure:
- The SCO’s governing body, the Heads of State Council, makes decisions regarding how the group will function internally, engage with other States and international organisations, and address global challenges.
- The Heads of Government Council discusses issues pertaining to the interaction of economic sectors within the SCO and approves the budget.
- The Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) was established to combat terrorism, separatism, and extremism.
- The SCO Secretariat in Beijing provides administrative, analytical, and informational support.
Languages in use in SCO:
- The official working languages of the SCO Secretariat are Chinese and Russian.
