Tehran - BORNA - As part of its chairmanship ​of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in 2026, Kyrgyzstan will focus on developing the organization’s financial mechanisms and improving its infrastructure, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov said, commenting on Kyrgyzstan’s assuming the SCO chairmanship for the fourth time in its history.

"The Kyrgyz chairmanship will be held under the slogan '25 years of the SCO: together towards sustainable peace, development and prosperity,' with the priority being the realization of economic cooperation capabilities. In this context, Kyrgyzstan proposes to more swiftly resolve the issue of establishing an effective financial mechanism for the organization, including the foundation of the SCO Development Bank, the SCO Development Fund and the Investment Fund, thus contributing to regional economic integration," Japarov said, TASS reported.

Additionally, the Kyrgyz side suggests paying close attention to transport, logistics and infrastructure issues. Thus, according to the republic’s president, the Kyrgyz chairmanship "proposes to develop multilateral cooperation to create favorable conditions for international road and railway transportation, also providing for the creation of new transport routes and effective use of the transit and transport capacities of SCO member states."

This year, official Bishkek will continue to build up collective efforts, aimed at countering security threats and challenges to SCO member states. First of all, this is about "countering terrorism, separatism and extremism." Japarov noted that in this regard, the Center for Countering International Organized Crime of the SCO in Bishkek, being established on Kyrgyz initiative, will contribute significantly to the common cause of combating the illegal activities of international organized crime groups on the SCO territory.

Kyrgyzstan also proposes that SCO states activate interaction in the field of green economy and combating climate change by developing joint green projects, as the consequences of climate change are no longer an abstract threat, but reality.

Japarov pointed out that during its chairmanship, Kyrgyzstan would propose to hold the SCO Youth Digital Forum and is ready to contribute to the realization of joint initiatives aimed at digital transformation on the organization’s territory. He invited cultural and sports delegations of SCO member states to participate in the next World Nomad Games, which will be held in the republic in the autumn of 2026. He also recalled that Cholpon-Ata, a resort town on the shore of Lake Issyk-Kul in Kyrgyzstan, had been announced the SCO Tourism and Cultural Capital.

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