Islamabad (Web Desk/Agencies): The 23rd meeting of the Council of the Heads of Government (CHG) of the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is set to begin in Islamabad from today (Tuesday), bringing together regional leaders to discuss enhancing collaboration with a focus on trade, economy, and cultural linkages.
The two-day meeting of SCO CHG, the second highest forum within the SCO, will be chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as the current chair of the Council.
Pakistan had assumed the rotating chair of the SCO CHG for 2023-24 at the previous meeting held in Bishkek on October 26, 2023 where the country was represented by that time Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani.
Besides, Mongolia is participating in the summit as an Observer State being represented by Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai and Turkmenistan as Special Guest represented by Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Rashid Meredov.
Among other dignitaries attending the moot include SCO Secretary-General Zhang Ming, Director of Executive Committee SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) Ruslan Mirzayev, Chairman of the Board of SCO Business Council Atif Ikram Shaikh and Chairman of the Council of SCO Interbank Union Marat Yelibayev.
The CHG meeting will discuss ongoing cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, environment, socio-cultural linkages and review the performance of the Organization. The leaders will adopt important organizational decisions to further enhance cooperation among SCO member States and approve the budget of the Organization.
The SCO, established by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan on June 15, 2001, is a permanent intergovernmental international organization aimed at strengthening multisphere cooperation, promoting peace and security, and new economic international order.
As per the Foreign Office (FO), Pakistan joined the SCO in 2017 and since then Islamabad worked consistently and constructively to strengthen good neighbourly relations and remained committed to the purposes and principles of the SCO Charter and the values of the Shanghai Spirit.
The supreme decision-making body of the SCO is the Council of Heads of States (CHS) which meets annually and decides upon all the important issues of the Organization.
The Council of Heads of Government (CHG) is the second highest forum within the SCO, with a primary focus on fostering cooperation among member states in socio-economic, trade, and financial sectors.
The Council meets once a year to discuss the strategy of multilateral cooperation and priority areas within the Organization, determine fundamental and topical issues in economic and other spheres, and approve the budget of the SCO.
The previous meeting of the SCO CHG was held in Bishkek on October 26, 2023 wherein Pakistan had also assumed the rotating Chair of SCO CHG from 2023 to 2024.