The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) held an expanded meeting of the Council of Heads of State in Bishkek, capital of the Kyrgyz Republic, on September 1, 2026. President Khurelsukh took part as an observer, outlining Mongolia's position at the gathering.

The summit was hosted by Sadyr Japarov, President of the Kyrgyz Republic, who currently holds the SCO chairmanship, and was held in the expanded "SCO Plus" format under the theme “The United Nations as a Key Element of a Fair World Order: the Contribution of the SCO Plus States to the Formation of a Multipolar World” with the broader "25 Years of the SCO: Together Towards Sustainable Peace, Development, and Prosperity."

In his remarks, President Khurelsukh reaffirmed Mongolia's commitment to the continuity of its foreign policy, pursuing peace-loving, open, independent, and multi-pillar diplomacy, and standing ready to engage in multilateral cooperation in the region actively.

Leaders and senior officials from some 20 countries attended the meeting alongside Mongolia, including China, Russia, India, Türkiye, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Vietnam, Pakistan, Egypt, Iran, Laos, and Togo, as well as Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General, and heads of other international organizations.

Participants at the meeting focused on:

· Building on the outcomes of last year's summit in Tianjin and implementing the organization's development strategy for the coming decade

· Jointly addressing regional and international security challenges

· Advancing trade, the economy, transport infrastructure, and the establishment of an SCO Development Bank

·Cooperation on climate change, food security, culture, and humanitarian affairs

· Cooperation on digitalization, artificial intelligence, youth exchanges, and sustainable development

Member states signed 28 documents on the Bishkek Declaration and on cooperation in areas including member states' security, combating drugs and narcotics, crime, and climate change, as well as energy, transport, logistics, and information security.

"SCO Plus" refers to the organization's expanded meeting format, in which observer states, dialogue partners, and heads of international organizations such as the UN join the core member states for broader consultations on major issues. The "Plus" reflects the SCO's growing openness, inclusiveness, and expanding influence on global development.

Pakistan will chair the next meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State.

The SCO was established in 2001 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan with the goal of resolving border disputes and strengthening mutual trust among member states. Its members now include China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, India, Iran, and Belarus, while Mongolia and Afghanistan hold observer status. Azerbaijan, Armenia, Bahrain, Egypt, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Myanmar, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, Türkiye, the Maldives, and Laos are dialogue partners of the organization.

Published Date:2026-09-02