DUSHANBE, 07.06.2017. /NIAT «Khovar»/. On 6 June 2017, the Central Communications Service of Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Information and Communications hosted a presentation of a book by SCO Secretary-General Rashid Alimov — “The Establishment, Development and Future of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation”.

According to the SCO official website, the Deputy Foreign Minister Akilbek Kamaldinov, former SCO Secretary-General Bolat Nurgaliyev, high-ranking officials from Kazakhstan’s ministries and agencies, National Coordinators of SCO member states, ambassadors and representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited in Kazakhstan, heads of the country’s leading research institutions, members of the SCO Secretariat and journalists were attended presentation.

During the presentation, SCO Secretary-General Rashid Alimov said: «The preparation of this book provided us with a great opportunity to take a closer look at the SCO’s 15-year history and provide extensive information on various aspects of multilateral cooperation under the SCO umbrella in a single volume. This was a challenging objective given the high profile and importance of the SCO on the regional and international stages. At the same time, it was an arduous but interesting task, especially since its publication was timed to take place just 48 hours before the opening of the landmark Astana Summit, which will open a new chapter in the SCO’s history.»

The SCO Secretary-General also noted that readers will learn how in just 15 years the SCO, guided by the leaders of its member states, succeeded in creating one of the largest regional cooperation frameworks with a focus on guaranteeing political stability, strengthening security and expanding trade and economic cooperation with a view to promoting cooperative development and prosperity for SCO nations. «Today, the SCO is a recognised, prominent and universal international organisation, and a credible institution in terms of regional security and stability. Sixteen years into its existence, the SCO continues to develop, and is becoming increasingly prominent on the international stage due to its achievements,» Mr Alimov pointed out.

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Introduction to the book

The book by SCO Secretary-General Rashid Alimov, The Establishment, Development and Future of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, was published by Ves Mir Publications. It features materials on the establishment of the SCO, its history and development stages on the way to becoming a full-fledged international organisation, as well as the philosophy and ideological foundation of the multifaceted cooperation between SCO member states. The book provides detailed information on the key areas of cooperation within the SCO, its structure and functions of the key SCO agencies, and their respective areas of expertise.

For the first time, a list of all Heads of State Council and Heads of Government Council meetings in the 15 years is provided with details on the decisions that were adopted and documents signed at each of these meetings.

A separate chapter is devoted to regional security and stability, counter-terrorism, fighting separatism and extremism and illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors, which are the key objectives of the SCO.
A special section details the SCO’s work to monitor elections and referendums in SCO Family countries, which is another important aspect of its activity. For the first time, the book brings together extensive data on all the missions that monitored elections and referendums on SCO’s behalf, providing a detailed insight into the performance of these election monitoring missions.
The book also offers the perspectives of English-speaking experts, political analysts and journalists on the SCO and cooperation among its member states.

There is also a chapter in which the SCO Secretary-General answers frequently asked questions on the SCO, the state and future of cooperation within the organisation on various issues.
In addition, the book highlights the key events held by the SCO to celebrate its 15th anniversary in 2016, and features core documents, including the SCO Charter, the SCO Development Strategy towards 2025, and statistics on the 18 countries of the SCO Family.
The text is accompanied by a total of 73 colour and black-and-white images showcasing the key moments in the history of the organisation, which will help readers better understand the SCO, its initiatives and participants.

The 333-page book is intended for politicians and diplomats, university faculty, undergraduate and postgraduate students interested in international relations and foreign policy issues, as well as the general reader.