In Moscow, Kazakhstan, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov participated in a group meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the heads of delegations from Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states, as well as in narrow-format and expanded-format meetings of the SCO Heads of Government Council.

During the group meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, trade and economic cooperation between Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states was discussed. The SCO countries' contribution to the global economy has more than doubled over the years of the Organization's existence and currently exceeds 30%. Kazakhstan's trade turnover with SCO member states exceeded $67 billion last year alone.

The meeting of the SCO Heads of Government Council was attended by Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Turchin, First Vice President of Iran Mohammad Reza Aref, Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China Li Qiang, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration of the Kyrgyz Republic Adylbek Kasymaliev, Prime Minister of the Russian Federation and Chairman of the SCO Heads of Government Council Mikhail Mishustin, Prime Minister of the Republic of Tajikistan Kokhir Rasulzoda, Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Pakistan Muhammad Ishaq Dar, and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of India Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. SCO observer states were represented by Prime Minister of Mongolia Gombojavyn Zandanshatar. Representatives of dialogue partner countries also participated, with the State of Qatar represented by Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, as well as heads of international organizations such as the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), and others.

In a narrow format, the meeting participants exchanged views on current agenda issues. Attention was paid to further improving the Organization's activities, taking into account the agreements reached by the heads of state following the Tianjin SCO Summit (August 31 – September 1, 2019).

In an expanded format, issues of trade and economic cooperation, collaboration in the financial sector, transport and logistics, digitalization and AI, water resources, ecology, and other areas were discussed.

At the Tianjin Summit, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev supported the SCO's practical actions aimed at developing free and fair international trade.

Today, SCO countries already account for a third of global GDP, and our domestic trade is close to $1 trillion. "With its significant economic potential, the Organization strives for comprehensive economic growth based on equal partnership. In this context, it is important to develop and pragmatically use existing resources to stimulate predictable trade," Olzhas Bektenov emphasized.
Attention is paid to the development of transit and transport cooperation. Kazakhstan, as one of the key hubs of Eurasia, is actively expanding its transit capacity by modernizing its railway, road, aviation, and port infrastructure. Five railway corridors run through the country. Overall, over the past five years, the volume of transit traffic through Kazakhstan has almost doubled, reaching 27.5 million tons last year.

Synchronizing the "One Belt, One Road" project implemented by SCO countries with key transport corridors in Kazakhstan will ensure a multiplier effect and create a sustainable foundation for the development of industrial cooperation and strengthening integration processes throughout the region. According to World Bank estimates, the successful implementation of projects under this initiative will increase global trade by up to 6% annually.

In the context of global digitalization, the SCO is becoming a leader in AI development. In this regard, issues of cooperation in the effective use of artificial intelligence technologies were discussed, which is in line with Kazakhstan's goal of becoming a digital country.

Within the framework of industrial cooperation, the establishment of the SCO Development Bank and the introduction of a mechanism for supporting investment projects will be an important step. Kazakhstan is ready to utilize the capabilities of the Astana International Financial Center in this area.

Attention was also paid to joint measures in the areas of ecology, water resources, cultural and humanitarian cooperation, and others.

The heads of delegations reaffirmed their commitment to developing multifaceted cooperation to strengthen stability in the region and ensure global economic growth.

Following the SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting, a number of documents were signed in the areas of multilateral trade and economic cooperation, transport links, social development and protection, and others.

Photo: Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan