Dear colleagues,

First, I want to express my gratitude to the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev, for the exceptionally warm welcome and perfect organization of the SCO Summit in ancient Samarkand, the pearl of the Great Silk Road.

Membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is constantly expanding. This is convincing testament to the steadily growing international prestige and influence of our organization.

The modern world has entered a dangerous period of significant international turmoil, with a new prevalence of the pressure of sanctions alongside confrontational approaches to solving key global problems.

A distinctive defining feature of the modern era has become an acute deficit of mutual trust.

Under these conditions, it is extremely important to strengthen the inherently unique "Shanghai spirit" based on mutual trust, and equal and open dialogue.

We are faced with the task of fully unlocking the potential of the SCO. Increasing the effectiveness of the Organization and developing multilateral cooperation in various fields is in the interest of all participating nations.

It is important to continue to further improve the Organization's activities, to strengthen the forecast of the main trends in the SCO area, and beyond.

The activities of the SCO have convincingly shown the relevance of the fundamental principles formulated in its statutory documents: the fight against the "three evils", extremism, terrorism, separatism; protecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states; and non-interference in internal affairs.

The main priority of the SCO remains the strengthening of regional security.

It is necessary to continue the implementation of previously adopted documents that enable joint efforts in this critical arena. Therefore, I propose building up cooperation in the military-political sphere – including between the defense departments and special services.

The strengthening of cooperation between the SCO and the Central Asian Regional Information Coordination Center can play an important role here.

The issue of combating cybercrime to create the infrastructure for protecting the Organization's information space is becoming particularly pertinent.

We must transform the SCO into a global economic platform.

Today, our Organization unites some of the world’s most rapidly developing economies, with colossal human, resource, and technological potential.

The SCO member states account for around one quarter of the world's GDP, more than $23 trillion.

We have at our disposal the richest reserves of energy resources, coal, rare metals and renewable energy sources.

In the ideological and institutional foundations of our Organization there are no confrontation or antagonistic blocks, a feature which contributes to the growth of the international prestige and popularity of the SCO, about which I just spoke.

Accordingly, the geography of participants in the SCO process is expanding from year to year.

This is resounding evidence of the high demand for the Organization. In my opinion, the SCO is the most successful international organization that exists in the modern world.

We support the development of economic cooperation in the SCO in various forms for a gradual transition to the free movement of goods, capital, services, and technologies.

The implementation of large-scale economic projects within the framework of the SCO will be a critical driver of growth for the Organization's member nations.

We set the goal to ensure an adequate funding of the Organization's  activities.

We have all the necessary economic mechanisms, strategies, detailed programs, and plans for interaction. Now, we just have to implement them.

I would like to dwell specifically on the priority vectors of economic cooperation - the transit and transport sector, food and energy security.

The adoption of the Concept of Cooperation between the SCO countries on the development of efficient economic and transport corridors gave us a major success in improving logistical interconnectedness.

We are talking about "China-Europe" rail transportation and the Trans-Caspian international transport route, as well as plans to build a third railway crossing point on the border of Kazakhstan and China.

I invite the SCO partners to use the opportunities that are opening in this area.

The Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran railway, which opens the shortest route from East Asia to the countries of the Persian Gulf, has a great potential.

Transit and transport cooperation between Kazakhstan and Central Asian states is developing dynamically.

We welcome the implementation of promising projects aimed at ensuring the interconnectedness of the countries of our region.

We support efforts to expand transport routes between Central and South Asia and develop the North-South and East-West trans-Eurasian corridors.

In general, we are in favor of creating new – and modernizing existing – multimodal transport corridors and logistics centers.

Finally, I would like to touch upon the issues of food and energy security.

The SCO states are the largest producers and exporters of agricultural products in the world.

We should stimulate the expansion of trade in agricultural products both within the SCO region and beyond.

The participation of our states in ensuring the smooth functioning of international food production and supply chains will help maintain stability in the global food market.

We also note the need to pay increased attention to the development and rational use of water resources.

The joint development of the SCO Energy Strategy will contribute to ensuring the global and regional energy balance.

We consider it timely to adopt the Program of Cooperation in the Field of Renewable Energy Sources.

Dear colleagues!

We all have high hopes for the SCO.

I am confident that our multifaceted and fruitful cooperation within the framework of the Organization will give powerful impetus to the development of our states.

Thank you for attention!