DUSHANBE, 06.08.2021 (NIAT Khovar) – The third Media Forum of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was held in Dushanbe under Khovar’s chairmanship today. Due to the pandemic, it was held online.

The forum, which was dedicated to the topic “SCO Media Space — an Effective Cooperation Instrument”, was held in accordance with the Main Events Plan of Tajikistan’s presidency in the SCO in 2021. The forum was organized by the government of Tajikistan and the National Information Agency of Tajikistan Khovar.

The forum was attended by media leaders and experts from Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, China, India, Russia, Uzbekistan and the SCO Secretariat.

The participants were able to express their points of view. They emphasized the importance of using the media space for cooperation and development of the SCO countries, promoting plans for successful and productive media interaction, as well as the effective implementation of programs and projects of mutual interest.

The participants highlighted the recent words of the President, Chairman of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO Member States in 2021 Emomali Rahmon, expressed in an interview with Khovar, about the importance of holding this forum.

“Today information is becoming one of the most important tools for shaping the future of humanity. How the world will live tomorrow and how it will remember the past largely depends on how the media covers today’s events. The position of journalists, bloggers, writers, and other creative people determine the atmosphere both within a particular country and between states,” said President.

At the forum, Kazakh proposed to create a common project to counter fake (false, baseless) information and an expert commission to combat fakes.

The Kyrgyz side suggested to create a new model within the framework of mutually beneficial cooperation from 3 points: to strengthen the Shanghai spirit and create a concept of a single communication message; to strengthen mutual learning for the exchange of experience on the convention; develop an action plan for an audiovisual exchange mechanism to combat coronavirus.

Uzbek side proposed to take measures to ensure freedom of speech, combat challenges, disinformation, disclosure of personal information, cyberbullying, counter the dissemination of information of an extremist and religious nature, causing national and racial hostility, discrediting the person and business reputation, information advertising narcotic drugs and pornography.

The participants agreed that the existing media opportunities are not fully used as an important and effective instrument for covering the activities of the SCO in the region and the world as a whole. It was noted that the time has come to establish direct interagency contacts that would be effective and easy to use. On the other hand, the organization and holding of online meetings can further promote active cooperation between the SCO media.

It was agreed to comprehensively cover the upcoming SCO Summit in Dushanbe, which will be held on September 16-17. Considering the current situation in the region and taking into account the intensification of the activities of international terrorist and extremist organizations that threaten the security of the SCO space, to assist in every possible way in the matter broad coverage of the initiatives of the member states of the Organization in the fight against the “three forces of evil” (terrorism, separatism, extremism), drug crimes and cybercrime.

The participants agreed to hold online meetings on a regular basis, as well as develop joint programs in order to deepen cooperation.

Following the forum, a resolution was adopted.