The work of Kazakhstan as the chair of the
Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was based on priorities such as
maintaining regional stability and security, as well as strengthening the international
authority of the SCO. Over the year, large-scale efforts were made at
all levels – from addressing issues of economic cooperation development and
promoting cultural interaction among countries to combating the so-called
«three evils»: terrorism, extremism, and illicit drug trafficking. Kazakhstan’s
main goal was to enhance the global role of the Organization and promote
friendship and good neighborliness throughout the SCO space. Besides, the
country made considerable efforts to expand partnerships with major
international structures and organizations. This approach was purposefully
adopted to tackle a number of global challenges, including climate change,
energy security, and sustainable development.
«Throughout the year, we actively promoted SCO
cooperation with multi-tiered structures such as the UN, the UN Environment
Programme (UNEP), and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), organizing
relevant events. As a result, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a
resolution titled «Cooperation between the United Nations and the Shanghai
Cooperation Organization.» The SCO and the UNEP also signed a memorandum. Thus,
the number of international organizations that have established relations with
the SCO amounts to nearly 16,» said Murat Mukushev, Kazakhstan’s National
Coordinator for the SCO.
