Speech by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev at a meeting in the SCO plus format

Dear heads of delegations!

Once again I express my sincere gratitude to the Chairman of the People's Republic of China, dear Mr. Xi Jinping for the traditionally warm welcome and impeccable organization of the summit in the beautiful and dynamic city of Tianjin, which is rightly called the “northern gate” of the country.

I am pleased to welcome the heads of delegations of observer states, partners and guests of the summit, as well as heads of leading international institutions.

SCO Plus format, in fully consistent with the spirit of openness and multilateralism, it is becoming an increasingly popular platform for confidential dialogue.

We believe that in the context of an unpredictable international situation, the SCO is one of the strong pillars of ensuring a sustainable and fair world order.

Dear participants of the meeting!

It is deeply symbolic that our The summit takes place in the year marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

This is not only an important historical milestone, but also a reminder. Peace is not given once and for all, it must be constantly protected and strengthened.

It is important to stop the wave of conflicts and confrontations, restore trust, the desire for peaceful coexistence, respect for generally accepted principles and norms of international law.

In this regard, we support the Global Governance Initiative put forward by the respected President Xi Jinping.

Speaking about international problems, I cannot ignore the situation in the Gaza Strip. The latest escalation of the situation and the deteriorating situation of the population in this region are deeply concerning.

We are convinced that only a fair solution to the Palestinian-Israeli issue based on the principle of “two states for two peoples” can stop the conflict in the Middle East.

Dear summit participants!

I will briefly dwell on the most pressing, in our opinion, tasks of multilateral cooperation.

First. Today the world is facing a complex set of challenges and threats that have long gone beyond the usual framework of security factors.

I would like to emphasize that only collective efforts based on the principles of the indivisibility of security can ensure the stability and prosperity of our peoples.

In this regard, we welcome the launch of the Universal Center for Countering Threats and Security Challenges based on the Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure SCO in Tashkent and the Anti-Drug Center in Dushanbe.

I propose to hold the first expert “SCO Plus Dialogue on Security Issues” next year in Tashkent.

Second. Ensuring stability in the region is impossible without taking into account the development of the situation in Afghanistan and establishing a constructive dialogue between the international community and the Afghan authorities.

Achieving this goal largely depends on the political will of the SCO states interested in long-term peace and stability in Afghanistan and in the region as a whole.

We are ready for broad interaction with SCO partners in order to implementation of programs and projects aimed at economic recovery and development of regional cooperation with this country.

Third. It is important to consolidate our efforts to eliminate trade barriers and bring standards closer together, develop incentives for industrial cooperation and innovation.

In order to launch an effective platform for business dialogue with the involvement of all interested partners, we propose to hold the SCO Invest investment forum annually. We are ready to hold the first forum next year in Uzbekistan.

Fourth. It is vital for us to create effective transport routes that provide reliable connections with global corridors.

In this context, the ongoing project for the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway is of particular importance.

In the future, connecting this route with the Trans-Afghan Corridor will contribute to the formation of a unified transport network in space SCO.

Fifth. The SCO countries have enormous scientific and technical potential, which is capable of providing a breakthrough in such advanced areas as artificial intelligence, big data, robotics, bioengineering, alternative energy.

As a practical step, we propose the creation of a Network of SCO innovation and technology hubs to generate new ideas and technology transfer.

Sixth. Expanding cooperation in the cultural and humanitarian sphere serves to bring our friendly peoples closer together.

We propose to establish a Cultural Dialogue of the Great Silk Road, designed to promote cultural diversity and the values ​​of the “SCO family.”

It is with great pleasure that I invite all our partners to the upcoming events of the UNESCO General Conference in Samarkand this fall, which will become an important platform for demonstrating the unique historical heritage of our countries.

Dear heads of delegations!

I am convinced: the results of the current summit in the “SCO plus” format will serve to further ensure stability, expand multifaceted partnerships and sustainable development of our countries.

Thank you for your attention.

Official website of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan