Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in Astana for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, which officially began on July 4. The event also welcomed Chinese leader Xi Jinping, acting Iranian President Mohammad Mokhber, and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The summit is traditionally attended by leaders from post-Soviet countries involved in the founding of the SCO: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has also joined the gathering, as his country prepares to become a full-fledged member of the organization.
During the summit, participants will review the organization’s progress in 2023-2024 and discuss strengthening cooperation in areas such as politics, security, economy, and humanitarian ties. The heads of state will also share their views on pressing issues on the international and regional agenda. A total of 24 documents are planned to be signed at this event, with the main one being the declaration of the SCO Council of Heads of State.
In the afternoon, a session in the “SCO plus” format will take place, attended by observer states and dialogue partners. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is among those expected to attend this portion of the summit.
The SCO was established on June 15, 2001, in Shanghai. Initially, it included Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. In 2017, India and Pakistan joined the organization. Tehran applied to join in 2008 and became a full-fledged member of the SCO in July 2023. Belarus is expected to become a part of the group at the current summit.