The past year as a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization confirmed the correctness of the strategic course previously chosen by the Republic of Belarus to join this Organization – we have become stronger ourselves and strengthened its foundation.
A Civilizational Choice
Joining the SCO for us is not simply a tribute to a fashionable trend. It is a deliberate civilizational choice, in the spirit of the times, in favor of the progressive global majority. At its core are ambitious, rising states of the Global South and East, which are shaping and will continue to shape the future world order. Among them are Belarus’s longstanding friends and partners: first and foremost Russia, China, and India.
In nearly 25 years of existence, the SCO has transformed from a simple multilateral mechanism for meetings of heads of state, essentially a presidential club, into the world’s largest regional international organization in terms of total territory, demographics, and resource potential – a unique “Shanghai family” demonstrating powerful vitality and energy. It is with this (as well as with BRICS) that we associate our future.
Belarus has joined the SCO seriously and for the long term. We not only make use of the opportunities provided, but also take on specific commitments for which we are responsible. Belarusian sectoral initiatives are supported and implemented. The entire history of interaction with the SCO (from dialogue partner status to full membership) has repeatedly confirmed the fundamental principles and philosophy of Belarusian foreign policy – reliability, commitment, and consistency.
From the very beginning, sharing and actively promoting in our own region the principles of the “Shanghai Spirit” as the ideological foundation of the future world architecture, our country organically and naturally complements the SCO space with its diversified potential, being situated on the strategic frontier between Europe and Asia.
At the same time, by joining the SCO “family,” Minsk is not closing its doors to Western countries. While they are building fences on borders and aggressively militarizing, we are building “bridges” (for example, visa-free entry) for ordinary people and waiting for their “misguided” politicians to come to their senses and return to active diplomacy. The thesis of “integration of integrations from Lisbon to Vladivostok” has not lost its relevance; only the emphases have changed. We demand only a mutually respectful and equal dialogue, without mentorship, preconditions, or attempts to impose alien values on us.
General and Indivisible Security
Belarus’s accession to the SCO directly linked, through the territory of our country, the troubled Greater Eurasia with the “hot” western outpost of NATO and the EU. Everyone knows what kind of military-political situation is developing here.
The SCO is not a military-political bloc; it has no military component. Its key Charter principles are non-aggression, non-use of force or threat of force, peaceful settlement of disputes, although modern threats are difficult to separate from the overall agenda. And the resources of individual states, even the strongest militarily, are insufficient to counter them. That is why Belarus, together with fraternal Russia, “keeps its powder dry” and strengthens the allied military potential. It is gratifying that in addition to Russia, our SCO partners – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan – are also members of the CSTO, with all the mutual obligations stemming from Article 4 of the Collective Security Treaty.
As Chinese President Xi Jinping recently said, “SCO member states should improve their mechanisms for responding to threats, create a strong security barrier, and meet people’s expectations for a peaceful and tranquil life. We must resolutely oppose hegemony, bullying, and humiliation in order to make the multipolar world more just and orderly.”
Belarus, located on the western frontier of the SCO, as a recognized donor of regional stability, makes an active contribution to the cause of collective security on the principles of indivisibility and cultural-civilizational diversity. The Minsk platform has repeatedly served as a venue for peace negotiations. Having suffered greatly from wars in the 20th century and being a supporter of restarting the Helsinki process, Belarus in 2023 put forward the initiative of the “Eurasian Charter of Diversity and Multipolarity in the 21st Century.” This document is intended to articulate the principles and foundations of a seamless security architecture in Eurasia – a kind of prototype of “Helsinki 2.0.”
Taking into account the SCO’s original mission (ensuring regional security), Minsk proposes that it become the main platform for discussing this document.
Security Through Sustainable Development
The state of security is determined not only by military strength. This is a necessary but by no means sufficient condition. An important factor is the economy. Through it grows a polycentric world order. The main drivers here are the alignment of national development strategies of member states, joint large-scale projects with the creation of financial instruments for them, an increase in the share of national currencies in mutual trade, convergence of payment systems, development of financial mechanisms protected from external influence, including the formula of “dual resistance to dual containment” proposed by Moscow and Beijing.
Minsk has long and consistently promoted the idea of an “integration of integrations,” advocating the alignment of SCO, EAEU, CSTO, CIS, CICA, BRICS, and ASEAN formats in the interest of creating a seamless space of sustainable development and security.
In conditions of global upheaval, it is important to create a strong transport and logistics framework in Eurasia. In fact, this is about geopolitical influence over key international trade routes. To form an effective trade policy in the region, it is also necessary to address the tasks of modernization and digitalization of routes, integration of national logistics operators, and establishing a clear guaranteed system of customs transit, insured against political risks.
There should also be efforts to synchronize the work of technology transfer centers and articulate a common technological agenda. It is important to move from a “race for leadership” to closer cooperation aimed at creating unique Eurasian technologies, based on respect for each other’s technological sovereignty, the establishment of a non-discriminatory system of their transfer, and a specialized market with country-specific specialization.
We see potential and are generally ready for systematic work on the formation of a common SCO digital space, the development of e-commerce, and AI technologies.
Equally important, we consider expanding cooperation in the fields of renewable energy and the peaceful use of nuclear power.
Eurasia as a whole is self-sufficient in terms of the availability of key resources, including trending rare earths. However, externally imposed mining schemes and supply chains often lead to their uncontrolled depletion. The SCO’s response could be the creation of an internal ecosystem based on cooperation and fair, transparent distribution of raw materials.
Amid growing global problems of food security, the SCO can always count on Belarus (despite Western sanctions) as a reliable supplier of mineral fertilizers, agricultural products, food, machinery, and advanced agricultural technologies. Minsk consistently advocates the removal of artificial barriers in this area.
A Cultural and Civilizational Link
The SCO’s supporting framework is strong not only in security, economy, and trade. Its most important brand has always been and remains cultural and humanitarian cooperation.
The Organization is a common home for many ethnic and religious groups, traditions, philosophies of life, and strategies, which implies the importance of their understanding and study. Since every national culture in the SCO is unique and a repository of centuries-old wisdom, we must strive to make this heritage accessible to the widest possible audience.
This is an original environment for mutual cultural enrichment, bringing peoples closer together, especially young people, and for cooperation in sports, tourism (including medical tourism), science, education, and entrepreneurship, with wide coverage in the media.
For these purposes, for the second year in a row, we have been implementing a large-scale project – the “Day of SCO National Cultures” within the framework of the International Arts Festival “Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk.” To enhance work with the younger generation, the “SCO for Youth” platform has been proposed. It is precisely they who will have to implement many future projects. Moreover, the “fermentation effect” of young minds (there are more than 800 million young people in the SCO) is a long-term challenge to national security, especially under external influence. In this context, it is appropriate to recall the saying of the ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius: “If your plan is for one year, plant rice. If your plan is for ten years, plant trees. If your plan is for life, educate children.”
The SCO development is inseparable from the intellectual support of the expert-analytical community. The role of “second track” diplomacy, represented by the SCO Forum and the Consortium of Economic Analytical Centers, is growing. They are at the forefront of generating unifying ideas and meanings, which are then laid at the foundation of decisions of the statutory bodies, shaping the future image of the Organization.
But the idea itself means nothing. Prominent Indian reformer and author of the country’s constitution Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar once said, “…An idea needs propagation as much as a plant needs watering. Otherwise, both will wither and die.”
Based on this, it is think tanks, together with the mass media, that should demonstrate the SCO’s bright achievements, bringing wisdom and strength to the promotion of peace, stability, and prosperity in the region and the world as a whole, raising mass awareness of the realities, traditions, paths, and strategies of development of the member states.
As provided for in the “Strategy for the Participation of the Republic of Belarus in the SCO” approved by the Head of State, the BISR this year, in the status of the National Research Center, participated in the 20th meeting of the SCO Forum in New Delhi, where it put forward the initiative to adopt the “Concept of SCO Expert Diplomacy,” developed jointly with colleagues from the Center for International Studies of the Faculty of International Relations of the Belarusian State University. We are proud that the BISR was mentioned in the Tianjin Declaration precisely in this context.
Cohesion and Unity
But even the most powerful economic and military potentials, with a reliable cultural and humanitarian foundation, will have no meaning without internal consolidation and unity within the SCO.
Amid today’s challenges, the SCO is undergoing a historical stress test, perhaps the most serious in its entire history. We see how the mighty of this world, through trade tariffs (in essence, political sanctions) under the guise of quasi-peacemaking, are already encroaching on the national sovereignty and security of even the Organization’s most powerful members.
Cohesion and unity are an important factor of resistance and the best response to such challenges and threats, including the “three evils”: terrorism, extremism, and separatism. Only together can we resolve our problems and also monetize the existing advantages for the benefit of our states and peoples. We are simply obliged to consolidate within the Organization’s zone of responsibility to become even stronger. If all member states make concrete efforts toward this, no one, anywhere, and ever will be able to destabilize our situation.
On the other hand, today’s challenges also open unprecedented opportunities for the SCO. After all, in Chinese, in the word “crisis” 危机 *wēijī*, one of the meanings of the second character (机) is “opportunity, crucial (suitable) moment.”
In this regard, we welcome the revival of the “RIC” format – Russia, India, China, who are wisely, in the Eastern way, making use of this moment.
The Image of the SCO’s Future: A View from the BISR
In 2026, we will celebrate the SCO’s 25th anniversary. The Organization today is radically different from the “Shanghai Five” created at the dawn of the 21st century. The dynamically and fundamentally changing international environment, with accompanying risks and challenges, is accelerating its “maturation” faster than under ordinary conditions. Such early acceleration, especially against the background of systematic stress, has its effects. In this regard, the BISR has a number of practical considerations and proposals.
First. To take advantage of opportunities arising amid crisis, the SCO must keep pace with the times, constantly improve, respond effectively to new challenges, and strictly adhere to the “Shanghai Spirit.” The Organization’s ability to strengthen internal coordination and unity after completing structural reforms, and to promptly develop a collective response to new challenges and threats, will determine whether the SCO becomes the key platform for ensuring security and sustainable economic development in Eurasia. For this, clearly, a strong and effective Secretariat is needed.
Second. It is necessary to strengthen mutual political trust, solidarity, overcome contradictions, strive to find common interests and compromises, understand, respect, and tolerate each other, avoid protectionism and national egoism. This is the guarantee and criterion of the strength of the SCO’s positions and authority in the eyes of the rest of the international community, which is watching us closely. Watching and drawing conclusions!
Third. We are simply obliged to find innovative models of cooperation in the economy, investment, and trade in order to finally reach breakthrough multilateral projects. Our peoples must tangibly feel the solid benefits of belonging to the SCO. Public opinion in member states should become the basic criterion and measure of the quality of economic integration. Perhaps, for this purpose, there is a need to improve the decision-making mechanism by creating a mechanism for monitoring their implementation.
Fourth. Apparently, we cannot do without a separate mechanism for mediation in conflicts and crisis management. The SCO has sufficiently “grown up” not to simply observe the complex processes taking place in Greater Eurasia. This would probably also help partially reduce tensions that sometimes arise between individual member states. In our “family,” we must resolve issues ourselves, “not airing our dirty laundry.” Transforming the SCO RATS into a Universal Center for Countering Security Challenges and Threats creates good prerequisites for this.
A “pilot project” could be the resumption of the work of the “SCO–Afghanistan” Contact Group. Moreover, this country formally remains an observer in the Organization, being an important link in connecting Central and South Asia – the geographic core of the SCO, the economic space of Eurasia as a whole, and also in ensuring regional security.
Fifth. Amid the decline of multilateral platforms such as the UN and the OSCE, it is probably not necessary to make turning the SCO into a universal mechanism a goal in itself. By all parameters, it is a regional bloc (although a globally recognized diplomatic player), and therefore it should be strengthened and improved in this format. Perhaps this is its strength and attractiveness. The goal should not be globalism, but the solution of “earthly” problems, of which there are many. This also applies to expansion. Yes, the SCO should grow. But not for the sake of a numbers race or to satisfy someone’s ambitions.
Sixth. The Organization has become self-sufficient and has outgrown the logic of confrontation. Positioning it as an alternative or opponent of the West is an outdated narrative. The SCO is not an antagonist, but an architect of a fundamentally new model of international relations and a system of global governance of the world order, based on equality, mutual respect, and pragmatism. Incidentally, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently stated the same, emphasizing that the SCO has risen above the outdated concepts of “clash of civilizations, cold war, and zero-sum game.”
Seventh. As an international structure of a new type, it is important for the SCO not only to flexibly adapt and adjust to a changing world, but also to try to look beyond the horizon. Forming an attractive image of the Eurasian future is strategically important from the perspective of goal-setting in development. Although today its horizon is blurred by the fog of conflicts, we must strive to discern a peaceful perspective beyond this veil. In this regard, we welcome the adoption of the SCO Development Strategy until 2035, in the coordination of which the BISR also took part. This document defines clear contours and benchmarks for the future image of the Organization, which outline its long-term path as a Community of Shared Destiny.
The slogan of the Tianjin Summit, “Upholding the Shanghai Spirit: SCO on the Move,” as well as the substantive Chinese chairmanship held under this motto, opening the era of Belarus’s full membership in the Organization, appears highly symbolic in this context. Our country is a vivid example of how the path into the SCO can be consistent, organic, creative, and responsible.