Pakistan Assumes Chairmanship of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation

Pakistan to host the SCO Council of Heads of State Summit in Islamabad in 2027

Islamabad, Pakistan--(Newsfile Corp. - September 2, 2026) - The Government of Pakistan announced today that Pakistan has assumed the rotating chairmanship of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of State following the handover from Kyrgyzstan at the conclusion of the two-day Bishkek Summit. Pakistan will host the next SCO Council of Heads of State Summit in Islamabad in 2027.

The Bishkek Summit, held from 31 August to 1 September 2026, marked the SCO's twenty-fifth anniversary. It brought together the leaders of the organisation's ten member states, including China, Russia, India, Iran and Pakistan, as well as observers, dialogue partners and the Secretary-General of the United Nations. Discussions covered regional security, trade, energy, connectivity, digital development and people-to-people exchange. Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif led the Pakistani delegation and held bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit.

During its one-year chairmanship, Pakistan will focus on cooperation in trade and investment, regional connectivity, energy, trade facilitation, digital development, people-to-people exchanges, and security and counter-terrorism cooperation.

Pakistan's chairmanship priorities include strengthening trade and investment among SCO member states; supporting road, rail and port connectivity linking Central Asian markets with the Arabian Sea; promoting regional energy cooperation; advancing customs, standards, payments and digital connectivity; expanding educational, cultural, media and tourism exchanges; and supporting cooperation on regional security and counter-terrorism.

The chairmanship will conclude with the SCO Council of Heads of State Summit in Islamabad in 2027.

Chairmanship Priorities

• Trade and investment cooperation
• Regional road, rail and port connectivity
• Energy cooperation
• Trade facilitation and digital development
• People-to-people, educational, cultural and tourism exchanges
• Regional security and counter-terrorism cooperation

About the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation

Founded in Shanghai on 15 June 2001, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation comprises China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus, together with observer states and fifteen dialogue partners. Pakistan became a full member in 2017 and hosted the SCO Council of Heads of Government in Islamabad in October 2024.

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