Bishkek Summit Outcomes and Institutional Changes
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) held its anniversary summit in Bishkek on September 1, 2026, chaired by Kyrgyzstan under the theme “25 Years of the SCO: Together Towards Sustainable Peace, Development, and Prosperity.” The gathering marked the culmination of the organization's milestone year, with heads of state signing 28 documents. Alikbek Dzhekshenkulov noted that the summit was one of the most substantive in the organization's history. The most significant of these was the Bishkek Declaration on the 25th Anniversary of the SCO.
For the first time since 2002, member states approved amendments to the SCO Charter. In the security sector, the summit established a statute for a Universal Centre for Countering Challenges and Threats, which will maintain branches in Bishkek and Tashkent. An executive committee for an Anti-Drug Centre was also approved.
Additionally, the organization extended its cooperation plan on international information security for the 2026–2028 period. All ten SCO member states attended the summit, reflecting the group's growth from six to ten members over the past quarter-century.
Economic Agreements and Future Priorities
Economic cooperation formed a central pillar of the summit's output. Member states adopted a development plan for ports and logistics centres through 2030, alongside a “Green Technology Corridor” programme and a memorandum of cooperation in artificial intelligence.
Construction has begun on the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway, described as the most tangible achievement of the milestone year. The declaration reaffirmed members' commitment to the UN Charter and international law while advocating for a multipolar order. It also endorsed ties between the SCO and the African Union Commission.
Pakistan assumed the SCO chairmanship following the Bishkek summit. Its tenure will carry the theme “From Vision to Action: Connectivity, Innovation, and Shared Prosperity.” Pakistan’s priorities include developing roads, railways, and ports that link Central Asia to the Arabian Sea, as well as simplifying customs procedures and advancing digital integration.
As part of cultural initiatives, Lahore, Pakistan, was designated as the SCO’s tourism and cultural capital for 2026–2027.
International Engagement
UN Secretary-General António Guterres attended a “SCO Plus” meeting in Bishkek. The session focused on the role of the UN and the SCO in a multipolar world, highlighting the organization's expanding diplomatic footprint beyond its immediate member states.