Dear Heads of State!

Dear colleagues, friends!

Today, the world is facing serious challenges due to unprecedented geopolitical contradictions and growing conflict potential. The architecture of international security is under threat, which could lead to dire consequences for all of humankind.

In such a crucial period, we have a great responsibility to strengthen peace, stability, and security through collective efforts at regional and global levels.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization, given its authority and significant economic and human resources, is capable of developing effective solutions to achieve the goals of sustainable development and overcome modern challenges.

“Strengthening Multilateral Dialogue - Striving for Sustainable Peace and Development” is the theme of Kazakhstan’s chairmanship in the SCO, and it succinctly reflects the spirit of our common mission. Allow me to present to you proposals that are intended to give new impetus to our multilateral engagement.

In our view, the primary task remains to collectively advance the agenda of peaceful and harmonious development.

I am convinced that only through collective efforts and wise diplomacy can we resolve the world’s knotty contradictions and ensure long-term stability. In that regard, great hope lies in the United Nations, which will celebrate its eightieth anniversary next year. No alternative exists to that universal organization, and its potential is far from exhausted.

Our common task is to strengthen the role of the UN as the main international institution for ensuring global security, capable of effectively confronting the challenges of the 21st century.

The voice of the SCO should and will continue to sound louder on the international scene, promoting a consolidated position on various contemporary issues. Therefore, the statement on the principles of good-neighborliness, trust, and partnership that we have adopted is highly relevant.

At the same time, I propose that on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the United Nations and the 20th anniversary of cooperation between the SCO and the UN, we adopt a resolution of the UN General Assembly in support of our initiative on World Unity for Just Peace, Harmony, and Development.

I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the summit participants for their active support of the process of transforming the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) into a full-fledged international organization whose goals and objectives harmoniously complement the SCO mission.

The synergy of our capabilities can become a solid foundation for ensuring sustainable and inclusive progress not only in the SCO region but also beyond its borders.

The next priority is to strengthen trade and economic ties. Sanctions conflicts cause significant damage to the global economy and narrow the prospects for further development. Under such conditions, we will have to build a more flexible strategy of trade and economic interaction aimed at maintaining positive dynamics and building capacity.

At the current stage, the economies of the SCO countries are showing high growth rates from 4 to 9%. The share of SCO states in global GDP is already 30%. Today, the foreign trade of member countries exceeds 8 trillion dollars, which is equivalent to a quarter of all world trade.

In this regard, I would like to emphasize in particular that Asia’s new historic economic growth, which is taking place largely at the expense of the SCO states, is a stabilizing factor for the entire global economy.

Kazakhstan welcomes China’s intention to expand the SCO countries’ access to its large-scale market and to increase trade turnover with the organization’s member states to three trillion dollars. It is important for us to fully unlock the enormous economic potential of the SCO.

The Action Plan for the implementation of the SCO Economic Development Strategy until 2030, which we have adopted today, meets this key objective. The SCO’s interaction with such integration associations as the Eurasian Economic Union, BRICS, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations opens up broad prospects.

A powerful driver of sustainable growth in world trade is the further strengthening of transport interconnectivity. More than 350,000 kilometers of railroads run through the territory of the SCO member states, accounting for two-thirds of the world freight turnover. Therefore, the SCO region is capable of becoming the Greater Eurasian Belt of global trade development.

Strengthening our position as a continental union should serve as an essential factor for economic sustainability and prosperity.

Kazakhstan, as is well known, is one of the key links in the Eurasian transportation system. Eighty percent of land transit traffic between Asia and Europe is carried out through our country.

We are actively working on the integration of the One Belt, One Road megaproject, the Trans-Caspian route, and the North-South corridor. The synergy of these transport arteries will create a powerful multiplier effect. In this regard, we attach great importance to the practical implementation of our initiative to create a Partnership Network of Strategic Ports and Logistics Centers.

In the current realities, cooperation in the field of ecology and combating climate change is of particular relevance. The situation in this field is of serious concern. We have witnessed a significant increase in various natural disasters, which cause enormous damage to almost all countries.

Kazakhstan has recently felt the consequences of unprecedented floods. According to experts, the scale of this natural disaster is directly related to the process of global warming.

It is obvious that it is impossible to overcome climate challenges alone. I believe that the world community should continue its resolute course towards the decarbonization of the economy, but without prejudice to the urgent tasks of development and modernization of all countries.

We will be able to show our solidarity on the issues of the climate agenda within the framework of the upcoming COP29 conference in Baku in November of this year.

Taking this opportunity, I would like to wish the honorable President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev, a successful organization of this global event.

Special attention should be paid to the development of joint actions to solve the problem of inland water bodies degradation, as well as to the introduction of new water-saving technologies.

The joint work of our countries in this direction will be a practical contribution of the SCO to the realization of the goals of the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation announced by the UN General Assembly, which was initiated by Tajikistan.

Another extremely important direction of SCO activities is the expansion of cultural and humanitarian cooperation. This important area was in the constant focus of our chairmanship, because the Kazakh land has been a crossroads of civilizations since ancient times.

I am convinced that the vast region of the SCO, infused with the unique cultural code of Greater Eurasia, should continue to fulfill the historical role of bringing peoples closer together.

In this regard, the establishment of cultural centers is an effective tool. I believe that the realization of such projects throughout the SCO region will contribute to the establishment of closer cultural and humanitarian ties between our countries. It is important to actively involve young people in this endeavor, creating opportunities for their full development and more intensive contacts.

Kazakhstan could act as a center of attraction for creative industries and proposes to introduce the practice of annual Meetings of Young Leaders and Talents of the SCO countries.

Additional dynamics should also be given to the field of education. It would be worth expanding the network of the SCO University by including new educational institutions of dialogue partners. The number of grants for students should be increased annually, especially in technical specialties.

Kazakhstan, for its part, is ready to continue the practice of providing scientific and educational grants for study in its leading universities.

In conclusion, I would like to reiterate Kazakhstan’s strong commitment to comprehensive and mutually beneficial cooperation within the SCO and in the SCO Plus format.

I am confident that all constructive proposals of the SCO partner countries will give a new impetus to the further progressive development of our unique organization and will contribute to the strengthening of mutual trust, friendship, and multifaceted partnership.

Thank you for your attention.