The modern system of international cooperation, based on universal principles and norms, begins to falter. One of the main reasons for this is a deep crisis of trust at the global level, which, in turn, provokes a geopolitical confrontation and the risk of reviving the bloc thinking stereotypes. This process of mutual alienation complicates the return of the world economy to its former course of development and the restoration of global supply chains.

The ongoing armed conflicts in different parts of the world destabilize trade and investment flows and exacerbate the problems of ensuring food and energy security.

Along with this, global climate shocks, growing scarcity of natural and water resources, the decline in biodiversity and spread of dangerous infectious diseases have exposed the vulnerability of our societies as never before.

In these circumstances, it is obvious that no country alone can hope to avoid or cope with these global risks and challenges.

There is only one way out of the dangerous spiral of problems in an interconnected world where we all live today – through constructive dialogue and multilateral cooperation based on consideration and respect for the interests of everyone.

It is exactly at the time of crisis, when all the countries – whether they are large, medium or small by size – must put aside their narrow interests and focus on such mutual interaction, unite and multiply the common efforts and possibilities to counter the threats and challenges to peace, security and sustainable development that are related to each of us.

Effective international cooperation makes the world more stable, predictable and prosperous. This is the most viable, accessible and closest way to solving the common problems of our time as well as a universal insurance policy against future challenges and shocks.

These are the goals and objectives that are pursued by one of the youngest multilateral institutions – the SCO. In fact, it is a unique interstate structure that has managed to unite countries with different cultural and civilizational codes, their own foreign policy guidelines and models of national development.

Today, the SCO family is the world’s largest regional organization, which has united a huge geographical space and about half of the population of our planet.

The basis for the SCO’s international attractiveness is its non-bloc status, openness, non-targeting against third countries or the international organizations, equality and respect for the sovereignty of all participants, refusal to interfere in internal affairs, as well as prevention of political confrontation and unhealthy rivalry.

The SCO’s success concept is the promotion of multifaceted cooperation through ensuring regional security. In fact, the SCO is called upon to become a pole of attraction without dividing lines, in the name of peace, cooperation and progress.

Therefore, the number of states that are ready to cooperate with the SCO is growing every year, and this is especially noticeable in the context of the transformation of the modern system of international and regional relations.

The economic value of the SCO is enhanced by the self-sufficiency of its space, where there are dynamically developing economies of the world with huge human, intellectual and technological potential, and the existence of large volumes of unused natural resources.

Today, the total gross domestic product of the SCO member states has reached about a quarter of the global figure. This is already a very solid contribution to global sustainable development from a regional organization that has just crossed its 20-year threshold.

In a world with new challenges and opportunities, the SCO has excellent prospects for transformation and growth, not only through quantitative replenishment, but also through the opening of new strategic vectors. These are transportation and connectivity, energy, food and environmental security, innovations, digital transformation and green economy.

Accepting the responsible mission of chairmanship in the SCO, the Republic of Uzbekistan has relied on the strategy of advancing the development of the organization by opening up new horizons for cooperation and launching usage of untapped reserves that each of its members has.

Our slogan is “The SCO is strong if each of us is strong”. Implementing this, we have made serious efforts to make the organization even stronger from the inside and more attractive from the outside to our international partners.

Uzbekistan’s chairmanship of the SCO is a logical continuation of an active and open foreign policy course that has been pursued by our country in the last six years. This policy is embodied, above all, in Central Asia, the geographical core of the SCO, where positive and irreversible processes of strengthening good-neighborliness and cooperation are now taking place.

All SCO member states are our closest neighbors, friends and strategic partners.

The chairmanship has given us a good opportunity to further strengthen multilateral collaboration and expand bilateral cooperation with each of them, as well as set new targets for even deeper partnership. 

I am full of confidence that it is important and necessary for the SCO to share its success story with Afghanistan. The Afghan people need good neighbors and their support now more than ever. It is our moral obligation to extend a helping hand, to offer them effective ways of overcoming the years-long crisis by promoting socio-economic growth of the country, its integration into regional and global development processes.

Afghanistan that has played for centuries the role of a buffer in the historical confrontations of global and regional powers, should try on a new peaceful mission of connecting Central and South Asia.

The construction of the trans-Afghan corridor could become a symbol of such mutually beneficial interregional cooperation. It is also important to understand that by implementing joint infrastructure projects such as the Termez-Mazar-i-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar railroad we are not just solving socioeconomic, transportation and communication problems, but also making a significant contribution to ensuring regional security.

By bringing our positions closer to each other, together we can develop a new SCO agenda for a more peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan. Only in this way can we create a truly stable and sustainable SCO space with indivisible security.

The ancient city of Samarkand, the jewel of the Great Silk Road, is ready to welcome the leaders of 14 countries with new breakthrough proposals and initiatives designed to serve for good and prosperity of the SCO and each of its members.

We are full of optimism and are convinced that the decisions of the upcoming summit of SCO will make a feasible contribution to strengthening the dialogue, mutual understanding and cooperation both at the regional level and on a global scale.

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The writer is the president of the Republic of Uzbekistan.