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Secretaries General António Guterres and Rashid Alimov,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen!
We express our sincere gratitude to Kyrgyzstan for organizing this High-Level Special Event.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), since its inception 17 years ago, has made remarkable progress, and has emerged as an important regional association, working to achieve the shared goals of peace, security and prosperity in Eurasia and beyond.
In line with the Shanghai spirit, which underscores mutual trust and benefit, equality, dialogue, respect for diversity and pursuit of common development, SCO has successfully established a framework to develop and stregthen cooperation.
With its enlargement in 2017, SCO ranks amongst the world’s largest regional organizations, representing nearly half the global population, a majority of which is young, and can act as dynamic drivers of growth.
The entry of new members, including Pakistan, has opened up new vistas of cooperation, and would enable SCO to effectively address complex and multidimensional challenges we face today, as also noted in the Qingdao Declaration of the Council of Heads of State of SCO in June 2018.
Excellencies,
Pakistan fully appreciates the imperative of addressing issues of peace, security and development in a comprehensive and composite manner. Our historical and active engagement in international and regional organizations is testimony to this commitment.
We are living in a world increasingly confronted by complex and multifaceted challenges. These threats are further compounded by the pursuit of narrow national interests and unilateral measures adopted by some States, which are challenging, indeed undermining, the foundations of an international order, based on dialogue and cooperation.
Addressing these challenges requires reinvigorated efforts to evolve joint responses.
The SCO represents an effective platform to strengthen multilateralism and evolve such a collective response to match the enormity of the challenges we face.
SCO can thus be a bulwark against growing protectionist, xenophobic and neo-colonialist impulses.
We are ready to contribute under the SCO umbrella to foster regional peace, stability and development as well as support cooperation against terrorism and extremism.
Pakistan has been the primary victim of terrorism for the last forty years. We have lost much blood and treasure in our campaign against terrorism. But terrorists and their evil acts have never shaken my country’s resolve and determination to continue the fight to defeat it. Through our successful multi-pronged approach, Pakistan has been able to turn the tide against terrorism.
Pakistan supports the SCO’s efforts in combating the Three Evils of Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism, and is willing to share its experiences through the forum of SCO-RATS.
Excellencies,
Pakistan also sees SCO as a catalyst for economic growth.
Pakistan accords the highest priority to regional connectivity by building on its existing bilateral ties. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a strong manifestation of this commitment. The project will benefit not just China and Pakistan, but the entire region and beyond.
The SCO has positioned itself as a forum for pursuing such initiatives, geared towards economic development through enhanced regional trade and infrastructure development. The SCO’s Development Strategy 2025 provides an important framework for achieving these goals in wide ranging areas.
Excellencies,
We welcome increasing cooperation between SCO and the United Nations. Both organizations have established a robust partnership with proactive engagement mechanisms through their affiliated bodies. The resolution highlighting SCO-UN cooperation in various areas, which the General Assembly adopts biennially, is an acknowledgment of the growing collaboration between the two organizations. It is a continuing reminder of the commitment of SCO to the principles of the UN Charter and SCO’s importance for regional peace, stability and cooperation.
Excellencies,
Pakistan stands ready to working closely with our SCO partners to further our common goals. We are optimistic that SCO will continue to grow stronger, making our region a bastion of peace and prosperity.
I thank you.