As the SCO Heads of State gathered in the capital of Uzbekistan to evaluate the group’s work and discuss potential avenues for future collaboration, Samarkand was decked out in bright lights.
As world leaders gathered in Samarkand for the 22nd meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which will begin on Friday, fireworks displays were fired off.
The SCO 2022 chair at the moment, Uzbekistan, extended a cordial welcome to the leaders. Before getting down to business on Friday to address the most pressing contemporary global concerns, they were seen having fun. The leaders casually strolled through Samarkand, savouring the delights of food and music while taking in the city’s rich culture.
Before the first in-person meeting of the SCO Heads of State, other leaders were seen exploring the city, including Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
At the conclusion of the Samarkand Summit, India will take over the SCO’s rotating annual chairmanship.
This is the first SCO Summit to take place in person since the Covid pandemic hit the globe. In June 2019, the SCO Heads of State Summit took place for the final time in person in Bishkek.
Currently, the SCO consists of eight Member States (China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan), four Observer States (Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, and Mongolia) that are interested in obtaining full membership, and six “Dialogue Partners” (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Turkey).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at Uzbekistan for the SCO Summit. Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif were all be present at the conference.
For the first time since the Ukraine-Russian war, these leaders will be gathered on a single platform.
The Welcome ceremony of the heads of the SCO members started off at 10:10 IST, after which all the members gathered together for the group photograph.
Then the meeting of the members started off in the restricted format that is 1+1, where Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Sharif encountered a challenging situation while preparing for the meeting when he attempted to plug in his earpiece.
The two presidents engaged in in-depth discussions spanning all facets of mutually advantageous bilateral cooperation, as well as regional and global challenges. The prime minister praised Tajikistan for helping Pakistan’s flood victims and described the destruction the enormous floods had created, according to Pakistani local media outlet.
Another image posted by former deputy speaker of the national assembly and PTI provincial president of Balochistan Qasim Khan Suri poked fun at Shehbaz’s delegation, which included defence minister Khawaja Asif, finance minister Miftah Ismail, and foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, for “sitting idly like a beggar.”
He said this in response to Shehbaz’s tweet, “Samarkand had a long but fruitful day. Our friendly leaders and I decided to increase trade and investment during our conversations. I described the damage caused by flooding due to climate change. Lack of food and energy is a serious obstacle to our shared development agenda.”
Whereas, on the Russian front, the Russian President was happy about Iran joining SCO.
Russian President in his meeting with the Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi stated here on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Uzbekistan’s Samarkand and expressed his happiness about Tehran joining the eight-member grouping. Putin told Raisi that he was happy that Iran was joining the SCO.
PM Modi met Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev
Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday as the 22nd Summit of the Council of Heads of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Member States (SCO-CoHS) began in Samarkand.
PM Modi’s Speech at the SCO Summit
In the wake of the COVID-19 epidemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, which have disrupted supply chains worldwide, Prime Minister Narendra Modi restated his commitment to turning India into a manufacturing hub on Friday.
“The COVID-19 epidemic is being defeated globally. The COVID and Ukraine crises caused a number of problems in the world supply chain. India needs to become a manufacturing centre, “In Samarkand, Uzbekistan, during the 22nd Summit of the Council of Heads of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Member States (SCO-CoHS), Prime Minister Modi made the remarks.
He noted India’s economic stability by claiming that it had more than 70,000 start-ups and more than 100 unicorns.
“We are concentrating on a development approach that is people-centric. We encourage innovation across all industries. In our country today, there are more than 70,000 start-ups and more than 100 unicorns “PM Modi added.
“The Indian economy is anticipated to expand by 7.5% this year. I’m happy that our economy is one of the largest economies in the world with one of the fastest rising economies “Added he.
The topic of “transit rights” for food supplies between neighbouring countries was also brought up by the prime minister, who emphasised that it takes India many months to transport supplies to Afghanistan via Pakistan.
The SCO Summit typically consists of two sessions: one closed to the SCO member nations only, and the other extended to observers and special invitees.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the president of Uzbekistan, had earlier welcomed Prime Minister Modi to the Congress Center in Samarkand for the 22nd SCO Summit. India and Uzbekistan have been collaborating hard to make sure their Chairship is successful.
A meeting in the expanded format is held with participation from the SCO Member States, Observers, Special Guests of the Chair, and representatives from regional organisations.
This is the first SCO Summit to take place in person since the Covid pandemic hit the globe. In June 2019, the SCO Heads of State Summit took place for the final time in person in Bishkek.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Russian President Vladimir Putin Congratulate India for SCO Presidency
While commenting on India’s Presidency, Russian President Vladimir Putin went on to congratulate India Wishes, “every success to friends from India who will take the baton of SCO.
Even Chinese President Xi Jingping went on to congratulate India for its next year annual presidency under which India is expected to hold over 200 meetings.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going to return from the summit for the introductions of the Cheetahs into Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park brought in from Namibia and the same day will mark his 72nd birthday.
Read more: SCO Summit 2022: Modi, Xi unlikely to meet, says Chinese Foreign Ministry
