Shanghai Cooperation Organization: Prominent Role in Confronting Threats to Peace and Security -1-

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) continues to coordinate efforts to combat common security challenges and threats, deepen dialogue, and enhance cooperation to ensure comprehensive security. through combating terrorism, cyber-terrorism, separatism, extremism, transnational organized crime, illicit drug trafficking, as well as enhancing international information security and responding to emergencies. The response of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization towards the growing threat of extremism includes the adoption of an Anti-Extremism Convention at the Astana Summit. This convention aims to strengthen the international legal framework to address emerging challenges and threats. It also seeks to elevate security, increase effective cooperation among authorities, and enhance the legal framework in this domain. The SCO also reinforces joint efforts to combat societal extremism, which manifests in worst forms such as terrorism, particularly among youth. Despite not being a military alliance, the SCO currently conducts counter-terrorism training exercises, including peacekeeping missions. Illicit drug production and trafficking remain among the most dangerous threats to international peace and stability. The Organization continues to develop cooperation and coordinate actions among member states to combat this threat, based on the 2004 Agreement on Cooperation in Combating Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and their Precursors. Unequal economic development across the world increasingly contributes to extremism and conflicts that ultimately threaten life. Negative trends in global economic development intensify existing imbalances, which in turn amplify the number of threats and challenges facing security and sustainable development. In light of these objectives, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) represents broad international cooperation aimed at promoting global economic recovery, ensuring economic and financial stability, and maintaining sustainable, dynamic, ba lanced, and inclusive growth in a rapidly globalizing environment. Concurrently, member states of the organization agree that global trade should adhere to principles of transparency, non-discrimination, and rejecting protectionist practices. Trade should be based on rules that are equally applied to all participants. The SCO will undertake additional measures to assist in regional economic development, create favorable conditions for trade, support investment initiatives, enhance infrastructure, and build industrial complexes whenever conducive circumstances allow. These efforts are integral to improving the quality of life for populations within the SCO framework. An important practical step in this direction is the implementation of the SCO Member States Agreement on Facilitation of International Road Transport, signed in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, in September 2014. This agreement not only establishes fair conditions for managing mutually beneficial trade flows from Eastern Europe to Russia's Far East and Ch ina but also serves as a foundation for a comprehensive multilateral treaty on regional infrastructure development and an integrated system for road transport. It is worth noting that a key factor in building mutual trust, friendship, and good neighborly relations among SCO member states is their cooperation in cultural, educational, and scientific fields. Continuous cultural dialogue rooted in the SCO nations' cultural experiences enriches mutual understanding, ultimately fostering greater unity among civilizations. Cultural dialogue plays a crucial role in bringing people together around common human values and aspirations, reducing xenophobia, religious and racial prejudice, and ethnic discrimination. This dialogue is a major goal of the organization aimed at bridging civilizations. The rich historical and cultural heritage of the peoples of SCO member countries is manifested in the cultural sites that currently constitute 20% of UNESCO's World Heritage List. Exploring these landmarks provides a unique o pportunity to delve into the vibrant history of the Eurasian region, appreciate a diverse range of unique national and cultural characteristics, and gain a better understanding of the mindset and worldview of the residents. Source: Qatar News Agency