SCO Ministers of Foreign Affairs convene video conference in the backdrop of Covid-19 pandemic
While India’s External Affairs Minister Jaishankar highlighted the overwhelming threat posed by terrorism, Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi urged that the pandemic not be politicized
By IAR Desk
The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of SCO Member States held an extraordinary meeting via video conferencing on Wednesday, May 13, convened by the current Chair, Russia. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russian Federation, Mr. Sergey Lavrov, chaired the meeting. External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar represented India. Mr. Mukhtar Tileuberdi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Mr. Wang Yi, State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Mr. Chingiz Aidarbekov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic, Mr. Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Mr. Sirojiddin Muhriddin, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan and Mr. Abdulaziz Kamilov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan represented the respective SCO countries. Secretary General of SCO Mr. Vladimir Norov and Director of the Executive Committee of SCO RATS Mr. Jumakhon Giyosov also attended the meeting.
This video conference was convened in the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis and discussions centered around COVID-19 crisis and coordination of the efforts to deal with its trade, economic and social consequences,. The discussions also dealt with pressing international and regional issues. The SCO Foreign Ministers also discussed the preparations for the SCO Council of Heads of State Meeting (SCO Summit) in Saint Petersburg, the situation in Afghanistan and the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of World War II.
In his remarks, Dr. Jaishankar reaffirmed India’s strong commitment to the joint fight against Covid-19 pandemic and its readiness to share information, expertise and best practices to the SCO Member States. He emphasized that India attaches great importance to its relations with SCO and has contributed positively to enhance the role of SCO in the global arena since its inclusion as full member of SCO in 2017. He also assured that India will continue to maintain extensive engagement towards strengthening SCO’s potential in ensuring mutually beneficial development.
The Minister highlighted the initiatives and various decisive steps taken by India in the wake of the pandemic, including US $ 266 billion economic package announced yesterday, and underlined that the security challenges we face today are not linked by physical or political boundaries. Terrorism continues to be the overwhelming threat to security and stability in the SCO region and would require collective action.
India’s committment to work towards creation of a favorable environment for mutually beneficial trade-economic cooperation among the SCO Members was also highlighted.
Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Wang Yi expressed his gratitude for the cooperation and solidarity demonstrated by the SCO states to China in wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. He called for strengthening the multi-lateral system while urging that the pandemic not be politicised.
Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the SCO Member States approved and adopted a Statement on the pandemic coronavirus (COVID-19) at the end of the meeting.
The Statement underscored the importance of the outcome of the emergency G20 summit “aimed at protecting lives, restoring the stability of the global economy and stimulating its further sustainable growth”, while on global solidarity and international cooperation against COVID-19, it stressed that it was “important to insist on UN-developed universal approaches” n accordance with “international law, including creating free, just, non-discriminatory, transparent and stable conditions for trade and investment” as the serious economic problems in developing countries caused by the pandemic required special attention.
The Statement also noted the efforts of the Session of Heads of Sanitary and Epidemiological Welfare Services of the SCO Member States aimed at implementing the June 10, 2018, Statement by the Heads of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Member States on Joint Efforts Against the Threat of Epidemics in the SCO Space. The ministers welcomed the “efficient mutual support which, on the basis of the Shanghai spirit, the SCO member states are offering each other during the COVID-19 pandemic with respect to providing their citizens with medical, social and other protection.”
