Excellency Mikhail Mishustin,

Prime Minister of the Russian Federation and Chairman of the SCO Council of Heads of Government,

Honorable Heads of Delegations of SCO Members States and Worthy Guests of the Chair,

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Good afternoon/DOBRYY Den!

Allow me first to congratulate Honorable Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Excellency Mishustin, on the successful holding of the SCO CHG meeting this morning. The Joint Communiqué and other important documents being adopted today will go a long way in guiding and strengthening our efforts, for achieving shared objectives of prosperity of our people.

Excellencies,

The agenda before us - spanning trade, economy, culture, and humanitarian cooperation - is the basis of a mature, future-oriented SCO.

Pakistan views them as interconnected threads in a single, stronger fabric of regional partnership.

The Tianjin Summit was a clear signal. A signal that our Organization is evolving with the resolve to harness the full spectrum of our collective potential.

By focusing on economic integration through expanded trade collaboration, improved infrastructure connectivity, investment partnerships, advancement of cross-border trade corridors, and the promotion of digital economic development, the SCO has established a foundation for sustainable economic progress throughout the SCO space.

Excellencies,

The SCO is well placed to promote regional cooperation in dealing with emergency situations and to extend cooperation in the humanitarian field among ourselves and for others in need.

Pakistan has developed a technology-driven, proactive disaster management system. We are keen to organize simulation exercises with SCO partners to bolster disaster preparedness across the region.

Excellencies,

Our discussions at Tianjin underscored the need to modernize our outreach. The value of our Observer and Partner States is immense.

Let us move from a model of passive observation to one of real “engagement”.

Let us invite them to participate not as guests on the periphery, but as stakeholders in specific, project-based initiatives that align with their expertise and our collective goals.

Excellencies,

This way we can create a flexible, multi-tiered model of cooperation that would benefit all.

An important feature of the modernization of the SCO is the introduction of English as a working language. Let us move forward from political declarations and establish Translation Units. The SCO can attract more partners and achieve wider global influence with this only one step.

Mr. Chairman,

To translate the momentum of Tianjin into tangible progress, we suggest greater focus on practical, cross-cutting initiatives.

Therefore, we propose to:

1. Operationalize financial tools for the promotion of trade and economy:

While our efforts continue to make available diversified financial tools, such as the SCO Development Bank, and Development and Investment Funds for our economies and businesses, we must aggressively utilize the tools already at our disposal, like the SCO Interbank Consortium, to finance connectivity and technical collaboration projects.

2. Build Human Capital:

The ultimate resource of the SCO is our people. The empowerment of our youth is of foremost importance. We must invest in them directly. Pakistan, therefore, advocates for a significant expansion of the SCO University Network into a consortium for ‘Applied Knowledge’.

This would facilitate not just student exchanges, but also joint research programs in critical fields such as, information technology, artificial intelligence, water resource management, agriculture, and telemedicine – addressing common challenges with shared intellect.

Excellencies,

Pakistan is committed to being a proactive and creative partner in this journey. Let us build an SCO that is a launchpad for shared success, where every connection made – commercial, cultural, or intellectual – strengthens the whole.

Let us ensure that the legacy of our work is a region more innovative, more interconnected, and more integrated than ever before. Thank you for your attention!

Moscow

November 18, 2025