BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 31. Kazakhstan is currently promoting transport connectivity, regional security, and water resource management within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), issues of strategic importance for the entire Central Asian region, Kazakh political scientist and professor Dulatbek Kydyrbekuly told Trend.
"Of course, economy and trade are areas that are characteristic of all countries. As for Kazakhstan, transport and security are currently among the key areas. Moreover, this concerns not only Kazakhstan but the entire Central Asian region. I would also add water resources," he said.
The political scientist noted that China plays a leading role in the SCO in terms of economic power, with trade with Europe across the Eurasian continent being of particular importance to Beijing.
"Because the delivery of goods across the continent is much faster than through the oceans. And Kazakhstan, as a country located in the center of Eurasia, is developing transport infrastructure on its territory, serving as a corridor between China and Europe and thereby contributing to the revival of the Great Silk Road," Dulatbek Kydyrbekuly said.
He particularly emphasized that Kazakhstan’s policy within the SCO is one of the directions of the country’s multi-vector foreign policy.
"Using its role as a central state in the economy and a country with experience in political mediation, Astana represents an important player in interaction not only with the key SCO member states," the political scientist noted.
Furthermore, he said that Kazakhstan’s policy within the SCO is also closely linked to both bilateral and multilateral relations with China.
Dulatbek Kydyrbekuly concluded that trade and economic cooperation related to the development of transport hubs and corridors is one of the areas that the SCO continues to strengthen.
The SCO was established in 2001 and initially comprised China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Over the past 25 years, its membership has expanded to 10 countries. The 26th SCO summit will be held in Bishkek on August 31-September 1, 2026, under Kyrgyzstan’s chairmanship. The meeting will focus on the organization’s further development, strengthening economic and transport cooperation, and security cooperation. Following the summit, the leaders are expected to consider a number of documents related to the development of the SCO’s financial and economic mechanisms, including initiatives to expand settlements in national currencies and establish new cooperation institutions.
