Uzbekistan’s Chairmanship in the SCO: effective partnership, long-term goals and objectives

On May 20, 2022, Tashkent hosted an International Tourism Forum “A new stage of cooperation between the SCO countries: Tourism and Cultural heritage”, as well as a meeting of Sports Ministers of the SCO Member States. During the events, specific goals and objectives were developed, agreements were formed, which the parties will sign on the sidelines of the September Summit.

The heads of tourism administrations of the SCO Member States at the forum discussed a new stage of cooperation in the field of tourism and cultural heritage, issues of deepening cooperation on the introduction of joint combined tourist routes, as well as expanding transport and logistics opportunities. It was noted that the total space of the SCO Member Countries, stretching from the Arctic to the Indian Ocean and from Shanghai to Kaliningrad, includes more than 40 percent of the world’s population. This is a huge tourism market, the potential of which should be fully realized in the coming years.

During three breakout sessions, discussions were held on new initiatives in the field of preserving cultural heritage, as well as prospects for cooperation in the field of archeology, museum work, education and science in the field of tourism.

In 2019, about 250 million tourists left the SCO states for holidays abroad. The largest number of travelers are from China. Uzbekistan is the center of the Great Silk Road and has attracted the attention of tourists from all over the world since ancient times.

There are 8.4 thousand cultural heritage sites in Uzbekistan. 209 of them are located in four museum cities – Khiva, Bukhara, Shakhrisabz and Samarkqand, which are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Uzbekistan has been recognized as an attractive tourist destination by many authoritative publications such as New York Times, Guardian, Independent, Global Muslim Travel Index, National Geographic Traveler Awards, Lonely Planet, and others.

At the meeting of the heads of tourism administrations of the SCO Member States on May 19, 2022, Aziz Abdukhakimov, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Minister of Tourism and Cultural Heritage, noted that in order to ensure the tasks set by the leaders of the countries of the Organisation, it is necessary to form a permanent coordination group at the level of deputy heads of tourism administrations in charge of international cooperation. It is proposed to hold a series of discussions with the wide involvement of the tourism business, to form a database of the most popular destinations and routes between the SCO Member States, to study the challenges and identify problems that hinder the potential of domestic tourism in the SCO space, including opportunities for combined tours and cross-border tourist exchange. The task is to develop recommendations for improving the tourist and transport communication between the countries along the combined routes, which are in great demand among foreign tourists.

In this direction, Uzbekistan is actively working with Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan on tourist routes in the Ferghana Valley, with Kazakhstan – along the tourist square “Turkestan - Tashkent - Samarkand – Bukhara”.

Further development of cooperation with the SCO countries in matters of tourism is a key task for Uzbekistan. The total cultural heritage of the SCO Member States, observers and partners is 207 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. They are of particular importance in the development of tourism and have attracted tourists from all over the world for centuries. In this regard, it is necessary to intensify efforts in cooperation between the tourism community of the SCO Member States, joint promotion of the tourism product, image support and protection of tourism resources.

Such tourist centers of Uzbekistan as Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, Shakhrisabz, Termez are known all over the world. And the country pays great attention to the preservation and restoration of cultural heritage of the Uzbek nation. Architectural monuments built in the medieval Islamic style, as well as Christian and Buddhist ones, have been preserved and are the main attractions of the country. At the same time, Uzbekistan pays great attention to the development of gastronomic, health, pilgrimage, winter, mountain, agro-, ethno- and ecotourism, as well as archaeological and other types of tourism.

Separately, the speakers dwelled on the topic of overcoming the crisis caused by the pandemic, which, in turn, provided an opportunity to rethink the activities of the sphere from the point of view of security and sustainable development.

In parallel with the tourism forum, a meeting of the heads of ministries and departments for physical culture and sports of the SCO Member States was held in Tashkent.

The agenda of the main meeting includes the development of cooperation in the organization of planned high-level sports competitions, the implementation of promising projects in this sphere between the SCO Member States, and the strengthening of interstate and interregional ties. The parties exchanged experience in promoting a healthy lifestyle among the population, large-scale projects to attract the younger generation to physical culture.

“Today’s event marks the official launch of a new cooperation mechanism initiated by Uzbekistan during its chairmanship in the SCO. This is an important step in expanding cultural exchanges within the association and a landmark event in sports cooperation. The creation of a mechanism for the meeting of heads of sports departments of the SCO member states is very relevant and of great practical importance.

Sport is a messenger of peace: stands for equality and mutual respect, inspires people to constantly move forward and achieve high goals. This is in line with the “Shanghai spirit” of full trust, equality, mutual consultation, respect for cultural diversity and the pursuit of common development,” - said Zhang Ming, SCO Secretary General.

A plan was approved for the implementation of the “road map” of cooperation between relevant ministries and departments responsible for the development of physical culture and sports of the SCO countries for 2022-2024. The document, aimed at improving the system of holding all events at a high level, provides for interaction in the direction of creating favorable conditions for the development of physical culture and sports, popularization of Olympic and non-Olympic sports, as well as ethnosport, advanced training of athletes, coaches and judges.

So, in recent years, sports and technical bases throughout Uzbekistan have been revised and re-equipped, reconstruction work has been carried out, new facilities have been built, and the necessary infrastructure for young people is being actively created. Currently, the construction of the Palace of Water Sports is underway. In general, about 51,600 sports facilities operate in Uzbekistan.

Particular attention is paid to the promotion of a healthy lifestyle among the population and the implementation of large-scale projects to attract the younger generation to sports. It should also be noted the successful holding of the SCO Tashkent International Half Marathon in March this year, which was held in Uzbekistan for the first time. As you know, the marathons of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization are included in the World Athletics (International Association of Athletics Federations) competition calendar and are held in accordance with its rules, from anti-doping control to the quality of the track surface.

Uzbekistan expresses its readiness for cooperation and effective interaction to create favorable conditions for the benefit of the development of physical culture, sports and the Olympic movement together with partners in the SCO.

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The upcoming 21st SCO Summit, which will be held in ancient Samarkand, will allow raising the historically close relations of the countries participating in the Organisation to a new level.