Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
| Chinese: 上海合作组织 Russian: Шанхайская Организация Сотрудничества | |
Members Observers Dialogue partners Disputed territories | |
| Abbreviation | SCO |
|---|---|
| Predecessor | Shanghai Five |
| Formation | 15 June 2001 |
| Type | Mutual security, political, and economic cooperation |
| Legal status | Regional cooperation forum[1] |
| Headquarters | Beijing, China (Secretariat) Tashkent, Uzbekistan (RATS Executive Committee) |
| Membership | 10 member states 17 SCO partners 4 guest attendees |
Official language | |
Secretary-General | Nurlan Yermekbayev |
Deputy Secretaries-General |
|
RATS Executive Committee Director | Ularbek Sharsheev[3] |
| Website | sectsco |
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a Eurasian political, economic and international security organization of ten member states. It was established in 2001 by China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. In June 2017, it expanded to eight states, with India and Pakistan. Iran joined the group in July 2023, and Belarus in July 2024. Several countries are engaged as observers or dialogue partners. Its most recent meeting was held in September 2025 in Tianjin, China.
It is the world's largest regional organization in terms of geographic scope and population, covering at least 24% of the world's total area (65% of Eurasia)[4] and 42% of the world population. As of 2024, its combined nominal GDP accounts for around 23%, while its GDP based on PPP comprises approximately 36% of the world's total.
The SCO is the successor to the Shanghai Five, formed in 1996 between China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan.[5] In June 2001, the leaders of these nations and Uzbekistan met in Shanghai to announce a new organization with deeper political and economic cooperation.
The SCO is governed by the Heads of State Council (HSC), its supreme decision-making body, which meets once a year. The organization also contains the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS).
- ^ Lars Erslev Andersen (4 November 2022). "Shanghai Cooperation Organisation". Danish Institute for International Studies. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
However, it is not an alliance but rather a forum for cooperation that includes security policy issues.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
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- ^ "The evolution of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation". Strategic Comments. 24 (5): vii–ix. 2018. doi:10.1080/13567888.2018.1495424. S2CID 219696506.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
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