RAK Ruler leads UAE delegation to SCO Summit in Astana

On behalf of the UAE presidents, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Ras Al-Khaimah Ruler, Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al-Qasimi led the UAE’s delegation attending Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, under the slogan “Strengthening Multilateral Dialogue – Striving for Sustainable Peace and Development”.

The UAE delegation, which arrived last night included Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Suhail bin Muhammad Faraj Faris Al Mazrouei, Minister of Economy, Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of State, Ahmad bin Ali Muhammad Al Sayegh, among other officials.

UAE’s delegation was greeted at the Astana International Airport by the Kazakh Minister of Digital Development, Jaslan Madeyev Hasinonvich, the UAE Ambassador to Kazakhstan and other officials.

The UAE's participation in the summit comes after it was officially granted the status of "Dialogue Partner" in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in May 2023, during the organization's meetings in India.

Among 20 major documents that are considered in the summit, Afghanistan joining is one of the major expected decisions to be taken by the SCO members.

Other key issues on the agenda for the final day are Astana SCO Declaration, the SCO Development Strategy until 2035, the Energy Cooperation Development Strategy until 2030, the Program of Cooperation in Countering Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism for 2025-2027, and the SCO Anti-Drug Strategy for 2024-2029.

WAM

Who’s attending?

This year’s SCO Summit is considered unprecedented in terms of number of participants, and due to its significant role in tightening bilateral relations between the participating countries in light of the current geopolitical global situation.

16 world leaders are participating in the SCO summit including China’s president, Xi Jinping, Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, Pakistani Prime Minister, Emomali Rahmon and Indian External Affairs Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

The participants also include the “Dialogue Partners”, UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. As for international organizations, Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Zhang Ming and the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres are attending as well.

What is SCO?

The SCO was established in 2001, with the main goal to strengthen cooperative relations between member states in political affairs, economy, trade, maintaining regional peace, security, and stability. However, it was perceived as an “anti NATO alliance”, by the European Council of Foreign Affairs in 2022.