EditorialLeading role for SCO in region fearful of instability and virus
- The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, an Eurasian alliance, is an ideal platform to handle security and economic concerns starting with Afghanistan and spread of Covid-19
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was established 20 years ago in a spirit of trust, mutual benefit, respect and desire for common development. Helmed by China and Russia, its joining of the two powers with India and Pakistan and the Central Asian nations of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, four observer states and six dialogue partners, makes for an ideal platform to handle the region’s security and economic concerns.
Wang’s recent schedule says much about the disquiet. Promoting peace and stability in Afghanistan has been high on the agenda. His attendance at a meeting of SCO foreign ministers in the Tajik capital Dushanbe was a formality, although it followed visits to Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. He also held talks with the SCO-Afghan contact group.
Wang called for closer cooperation of SCO members and said there was a need to “build a strong shield for regional security, unite our efforts in fighting terrorism, separatism and extremism”. The upsurge in violence in Afghanistan as Western troops pull out, leaving the Taliban with a strong hand in its bid to seize power, has also brought fears among the country’s neighbours of a return of terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda.
