Shanghai Cooperation Organisation

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
Chinese: 上海合作组织
Russian: Шанхайская Организация Сотрудничества
AbbreviationSCO
PredecessorShanghai Five
Formation15 June 2001; 23 years ago (2001-06-15)
TypeMutual security, political, and economic cooperation
Legal statusRegional cooperation forum[1]
HeadquartersBeijing, China (Secretariat)
Tashkent, Uzbekistan (RATS Executive Committee)
Membership

Observers:

Dialogue partners:

Guest attendees:

Official language
Secretary-General
Zhang Ming
Deputy Secretaries-General
RATS
Executive Committee Director
Ruslan Mirzaev
Websitesectsco.org Edit this at Wikidata

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a Eurasian political, economic, international security and defence organization established by China and Russia in 2001. It is the world's largest regional organization in terms of geographic scope and population, covering approximately 24% of the area of world (65% of Eurasia)[3] 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 the People's Republic of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan.[4] In June 2001, the leaders of these nations and Uzbekistan met in Shanghai to announce a new organization with deeper political and economic cooperation. 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.

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).

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference about-sco was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "The evolution of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation". Strategic Comments. 24 (5): vii–ix. 2018. doi:10.1080/13567888.2018.1495424. S2CID 219696506.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).