Nurlan Yermekbayev emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation in the fight against terrorism, extremism, and transnational crime.
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Secretary-General Nurlan Yermekbayev delivered a speech in Samarkand during the framework of the first SCO Plus expert dialogue on security issues.
The SCO Secretary-General expressed gratitude to President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev for taking the initiative to organize this forum at the organization's summit held in Astana in 2024. He emphasized that cooperation in such a format serves to form a comprehensive and inclusive international partnership.
Nurlan Yermekbayev noted that over the past quarter of a century, the SCO has transformed into an influential transregional multilateral organization uniting states with diverse political systems, cultural traditions, and national priorities.
It was also specially noted that the heads of member states recognized Central Asia as the core of the SCO. The dialogue also focused on issues of ensuring peace, stability, and development in Afghanistan, which is of vital importance for regional security.
“The SCO reaffirms its support for Afghanistan's establishment as an independent, neutral, and peace-loving state free from terrorism, war, and drugs, and its readiness to support international efforts to ensure peace, stability, and development in this country,” said Nurlan Yermekbayev.
The Secretary-General also touched upon important decisions adopted at the summit of the heads of SCO member states held in Bishkek in early September 2026.
In particular, regulations on the Universal Center for Combating Threats and Security Challenges of SCO Member States and the Executive Committee of the SCO Anti-Drug Center were approved at the summit. In addition, programs to combat the spread of drugs, synthetic drugs, and their precursors for the period up to 2030 were adopted.
At the end of his speech, Nurlan Yermekbayev outlined the future priority directions for cooperation. Among them were the deepening of expert dialogue, combating new technological threats, expanding joint measures against terrorism, extremism, transnational organized crime, illicit drug trafficking, and money laundering.
Strengthening preventive diplomacy and the culture of dialogue were also noted as important tasks.
