Kazakhstan Pushes for Practical Economic Cooperation at SCO Meeting

Kazakhstan is advocating for a more pragmatic approach within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), urging a shift from political dialogue towards enhanced economic cooperation. Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev emphasized that escalating geopolitical turbulence and supply chain disruptions necessitate a greater focus on economic resilience and trade connectivity.

Speaking at the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Kyrgyzstan, Kosherbayev stated that the current global environment makes supply chain security a pressing issue for the region. He cited attacks on energy infrastructure and oil tankers as examples of growing vulnerabilities in international logistics, underscoring the need for the SCO to prioritize the protection of regional trade routes.

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Geopolitical turbulence, increasingly spilling over into the military sphere, is seriously affecting the stability of international trade relations. Today, the security of supply chains is becoming an ever more pressing issue, including for Kazakhstan.

This emphasis aligns with Kazakhstan's broader diplomatic strategy, which increasingly frames transport connectivity as a strategic security concern alongside its economic benefits. Analysts note that this shift reflects a wider transformation within the SCO itself. Manarbek Kabaziyev, deputy chairman of the Foreign Policy Research Institute, observed that the organization's agenda has expanded beyond its initial focus on regional security to encompass trade, digitalization, energy, and food security.

Kazakhstan's priorities, including transport security, are central to its engagement with the SCO. The country is pushing for stronger coordination on issues such as climate resilience and water management as member states prepare for the upcoming SCO summit in Bishkek.

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The SCO is indeed going through a stage of qualitative transformation. While its primary task in the early years was strengthening trust and ensuring regional security, today its agenda has become much broader. The focus now includes trade and economic cooperation, transport and logistics connectivity, digitalization, energy, food security and technological cooperation.