On July 3-4, 2024, Astana hosted the 24th annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to discuss and address the most pressing issues and major challenges in the Eurasian region, as well as to define long-term cooperation framework reflecting the member states’ security concerns and economic stakes.

Summary

• During the SCO 2024 Summit in Astana security threats traditionally remained at the core of the SCO agenda, with the key decisions being adopted to further institutionalize anti-drug and counterterrorism efforts.

• Belarus was officially admitted to SCO; with the SCO leaders continuing their efforts to modernize the Group’s long-term strategic cooperation framework.

• With regard to economic partnership, the member states mostly focused on developing institutionalized mechanisms providing strategic funding for major intra-SCO infrastructure and economic projects.

• Despite Russian, Belorussian and Iranian efforts to introduce payment agenda into the SCO summit, almost no relevant points were included in the Declaration, nor were any tangible decisions publicly announced or mentioned.

• The SCO member states generally abstained from introducing anti-western narratives (except for sanctions and global missile defense system) into the Summit Declaration mostly focusing on common security concerns and economic partnership in priority areas (trade, sustainable development, agriculture, etc.).

For more implications for the SCO 2024 Summit, see our memo below.