Mirziyoyev Unveils Long-Term Strategic Blueprint for Shanghai Cooperation Organization

Source：Gazeta.uz, "President of Uzbekistan proposes 'SCO-2040: A Space for Common Development' Vision", September 2, 2026.

https://www.gazeta.uz/en/2026/09/02/sco/

Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has proposed a long-term vision for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, titled "SCO-2040: A Space for Common Development."

Speaking at Tuesday's SCO Council of Heads of State meeting in Bishkek, Mirziyoyev argued that beyond responding effectively to fresh challenges, the bloc needs a clear picture of its long-term direction. "The competitiveness of our states will directly depend on our readiness to combine our potential and create new opportunities for joint development," he said, adding that member countries' immense human, natural, industrial and intellectual resources should above all serve to improve the well-being of their peoples.

The vision, he explained, should foster "an interconnected and sustainable space" where investments, technologies and knowledge circulate freely, major infrastructure and industrial projects take root, and direct ties among regions, businesses and people grow closer. As the organization marks its 25th anniversary this year, he said time has proven the platform's relevance and the effectiveness of its format — one that, guided by the "Shanghai Spirit," has secured equitable dialogue, regional stability and sustainable development.

Mirziyoyev reaffirmed Uzbekistan's consistent support, since the SCO's founding, for strengthening it as "an open, non-aligned and peace-loving platform for cooperation," stressing that Central Asia — the organization's geographical and strategic core — remains at the heart of its work.

He singled out the economic dimension as the SCO's foremost priority and the principal barometer of its effectiveness, proposing an SCO Industrial Cooperation Map that would unite special economic zones, production processes, markets and logistics — in effect "a universal digital window for businesses, investors and government agencies." He also urged a shift from general principles to the practical launch of an SCO Development Bank, grounded in well-developed, regionally significant investment proposals, and called for a pipeline of priority projects in transport, energy, industrial cooperation and digital infrastructure.

Welcoming President Xi Jinping's initiative to establish a World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization, he voiced hope the SCO would be among the alliance's first partners and proposed an SCO Open Multilingual Data Corpus. Tashkent, he said, stands ready to host the SCO Forum on Artificial Intelligence and New Digital Solutions next year.

On climate, he called for a unified agenda to address growing threats to food, water and energy security, backed by a dedicated SCO mechanism to coordinate programs, exchange technologies and share knowledge — potentially through an SCO Program for Technological Cooperation in Water and Energy Efficiency through 2035. He also stressed the critical importance of expanding international transport corridors and proposed a Council for the Integration of the Railway Networks of SCO Member States to align logistics infrastructure and ensure seamless integration of national systems.

Describing peace and stability in Afghanistan as fundamental to the region's safety and development, he urged resuming regular SCO–Afghanistan dialogue. The summit approved a regulation establishing a Universal Center for Countering Security Challenges and Threats, headquartered in Tashkent. He further proposed a 2028–2030 program to preserve and promote traditional arts and intangible cultural heritage, and voiced concern over the Middle East, backing renewed dialogue and de-escalation.

Chaired by Kyrgyzstan, the meeting was attended by the presidents of Belarus, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and Tajikistan, the prime ministers of India and Pakistan, China's president, the SCO secretary-general and the director of the RATS Executive Committee, with the chairmanship passing to Pakistan.

Across Central Asia, surging infrastructure spending and rapid industrialization are lifting demand for construction materials, machinery, tools and hardware components, alongside growing interest in dependable sourcing channels. The Central Asia International Hardware Expo (CAIHE) offers manufacturers and suppliers a practical gateway to connect with regional buyers, showcase products and build distribution partnerships — a natural complement to the trade momentum now building along these expanding corridors.