Further Expansion of the SCO Remains on the Agenda
The possibility of welcoming new member states into the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is still very much on the table, TASS reports. According to Ahmad Saidmurodzoda, the SCO’s Deputy Secretary-General, the topic of enlargement continues to be an active part of the international bloc’s agenda.
Speaking to journalists, Saidmurodzoda emphasised that while further expansion is not ruled out, any future admissions will ultimately depend on a unanimous agreement among existing members. He highlighted that the organisation’s charter is built upon a principle of openness, allowing any state or multilateral group that shares the SCO’s core values to join the fold.
The official noted with pride that the bloc has grown four and a half times in size since its establishment in 2001 by six founding nations. He views this rapid growth as a clear indicator of the organisation’s global appeal and geopolitical attractiveness. Today, the SCO encompasses a total of 27 affiliated countries, consisting of 10 full members, two observer states and 15 dialogue partners.
Established at the turn of the millennium, the SCO currently counts Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as its full members.
The organisation’s wider network of partner and observer nations spans across multiple regions, including Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cambodia, Egypt, Kuwait, Laos, the Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. Meanwhile, the bloc’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) continues to coordinate security efforts from its headquarters in the Uzbek capital of Tashkent.
