Mirziyoyev proposes SCO 2040 vision and new cooperation initiatives
Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has proposed a long-term development agenda for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, including a new SCO 2040 vision, deeper economic integration and expanded cooperation on artificial intelligence.
Mirziyoyev presented the initiatives on September 1 at the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, which marked the organisation’s 25th anniversary.
The summit brought together leaders from Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and other SCO representatives. The participants discussed the organisation’s achievements, regional stability and priorities for future cooperation.
In his address, Mirziyoyev said the SCO was meeting at a time of geopolitical divisions, declining trust, escalating conflicts and what he described as an erosion of international law. He called for renewed dialogue and de-escalation in the Middle East.
The Uzbek president proposed developing a long-term strategy titled «SCO 2040: A Space of Shared Development».
«Its main goal should be the formation of an interconnected and sustainable space where investments, technologies and knowledge are freely exchanged,» Mirziyoyev said.
He said the initiative should also support major infrastructure and industrial projects while strengthening direct links between regions, businesses and people.
Economic integration and AI cooperation
Mirziyoyev said the SCO’s economic dimension should become a key measure of its effectiveness and called for stronger multilateral value chains across member states.
He proposed creating an SCO Industrial Cooperation Map linking special economic zones, production facilities, markets and logistics networks through a single digital platform.
Uzbekistan also called for practical steps towards launching an SCO Development Bank, with an initial portfolio of regional projects in transport, energy, industrial cooperation and digital infrastructure.
Mirziyoyev welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping’s proposal to establish a global organisation for cooperation on artificial intelligence and said the SCO should become one of its early partners.
He also proposed creating an open multilingual SCO data corpus and said Uzbekistan was ready to host an SCO Forum on Artificial Intelligence and New Digital Solutions in Tashkent next year.
«Competitiveness of our states will directly depend on our readiness to combine our potential and create new opportunities for joint development,» Mirziyoyev said.
Transport, climate and regional security
The Uzbek leader also proposed a coordinated SCO approach to food, water and energy security as climate challenges increasingly affect member states.
Among the initiatives was a technological cooperation programme on water and energy efficiency through 2035. Mirziyoyev also called for the creation of a council to coordinate the integration of SCO member states’ railway systems and logistics infrastructure.
On Afghanistan, he said peace and stability in the country remained essential for regional security and development.
«We all need a prosperous neighbouring country integrated into constructive regional processes,» Mirziyoyev said, calling for the resumption of regular SCO dialogue with Afghanistan.
The Uzbek president also said Uzbekistan would provide the necessary conditions for the effective operation of the Universal Centre for Countering Security Challenges and Threats, which will be based in Tashkent.
The meeting concluded with the signing of the Bishkek Declaration, amendments to the SCO Charter and other documents aimed at expanding cooperation in key areas.
Mirziyoyev said Uzbekistan would continue contributing to «the strengthening of the spirit of mutual respect, good neighbourliness and trust» across the region.
