On July 4, 2023, India successfully hosted the 23rd Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). The world witnessed another “SCO moment”. Leaders of the SCO member-states signed the New Delhi Declaration, and issued the statements on countering radicalisation and exploring cooperation in digital transformation. The summit granted Iran full SCO membership, signed the memorandum of obligations of Belarus to join the SCO as a member-state, and adopted the SCO’s economic development strategy for the period until 2030. These significant outcomes have demonstrated the vitality of the “SCO family”.
A changing world
Our world, our times and history are changing in ways like never before. The world is grappling with geopolitical tensions, an economic slowdown, energy crises, food shortage and climate change. These challenges require the joint response of all countries. The major risks to world peace and development are power politics, economic coercion, technology decoupling and ideological contest. The central questions revolve around unity or split; peace or conflict; cooperation or confrontation. The international community must answer them.
