ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Wednesday said that the Council of Heads of Government of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (CHG-SCO) meeting have adopted a number of decisions and documents to guide the future of organization with enhanced role in regional connectivity, trade, investment and economic prosperity.
Addressing a presser at the conclusion of two-day CHG-SCO summit along with SCO Secretary General Zhang Ming, the deputy prime minister/foreign minister said that it was an honour for Pakistan to organize and host the 23th CHG-SCO meeting of the member states.
He said that they were grateful to the leaders of the member states for their constructive contributions and output.
Pakistan as a chair of CHG-SCO made every effort to identify the areas of further collaboration among the member countries which included enhanced connectivity, poverty elimination and climate change etc, he added.
He said Pakistan had already collaborated with the member countries of the region in this regard and it was due to its efforts that several areas of cooperation were now approved including the concepts of economy, trade organization, development of creative economy and creation of new economy dialogue among the SCO members.
The two-day CHG-SCO concluded in serene and idyllic Capital of Pakistan that nestled at the Margalla foothills. Pakistan hosted the global event which was attended by leaders of SCO member states who brainstormed in the backdrop of recent global challenges to economy, peace and stability.
SCO is the world’s largest conglomerate of the Eurasian countries on the basis of world’s population, geographic location and economy with more than 23 percent global GDP.
The deputy prime minister said during Pakistan’s tenure as the chair of SCO, it was a year’s long process to reach to these consultations and outcome by emphasizing upon the SCO member states to uphold the Shanghai spirit.
He said the prime minister of Pakistan during his address in the CHO-SCO meeting, had reiterated country’s complete commitment to SCO Charter and objectives, besides stressing that SCO was ideally placed to serve as a vital platform for the sustainable development, securing peace and attaining regional prosperity.
Dar said “The joint communique just signed by the leaders is a comprehensive document covering economy, trade, industry, investment, climate change, public health, culture, poverty elimination, women etc.”
The heads of government also resolved to further strengthen their commitment to SCO objectives, he added.
The joint communique also stressed upon the global economic system and open and transparent system for shared and actable future.
DPM Dar said that the outcome of the joint communique reflected the resolve of the leaders to working together with mutual respect and close cooperation to overcome the future challenges for the shared future of the region.
He said the Heads of Delegation considered it important to continue joint efforts to counter protectionist trade measures that were contrary to WTO rules and regulations, as well as to continue working on strengthening the rules-based WTO, non-discriminatory, open, equitable, inclusive and transparent multilateral trading system, based on the WTO.
They also opposed protectionist actions, unilateral sanctions and trade restrictions that undermine the multilateral trading system and impede global sustainable development, he added.
The heads of delegations noted the importance of implementing the SCO Economic Development Strategy and the Programme of Multilateral Trade and Economic Cooperation of the SCO member states, he added.
The deputy prime minister/foreign minister said they also stressed the need for coordinated efforts through the mechanisms of relevant cooperation in order to implement the respective action plans.
The communique also instructed to ensure the implementation of the Concept for the Establishment of the Base of Economic Preferences of the SCO Member States, the Concept of Cooperation between Trade Promotion Organizations of the SCO Member States and the Framework for Cooperation of the SCO Member States in the Development of Creative Economy.
They also stressed the importance of implementing the Concept of Cooperation in the Development of the “New Economic Dialogue” between the SCO member states, he added.
The leaders also showed their concerns to various challenges, and uncertainties in the global economy with restrictive trade.
SCO leaders also welcomed the roads and ports connectivity and stressed upon to intensify efforts for the development of SCO bank, investment and fund while the SCO budget for the year 2025 was also approved, he further informed.
Dar said that Pakistan had passed on the responsibilities of the CHG-SCO chair to Russian Federation for the 2025 and reiterated continued and full support to their presidency.
Secretary General of SCO Zhang Ming, in his remarks, congratulated Pakistan in making the tremendous efforts for hosting such a high-level meeting.
He said the meeting focused on practical cooperation regarding the implementation of the outcome of the previous meeting on trade activities and business council.
