COOPERATION and integration among regional countries have always been essential for prosperity. Europe’s prosperity is mainly attributed to European countries putting aside their conflicts and focusing on mutual growth, leading to the creation of the European Union. The people of Europe have been benefiting socially, politically and economically from this union. Eurasian region has yet to establish a regional set-up that enables all nations to benefit from collaboration, despite the potential for a regional alliance. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization offers member states a great opportunity to establish a beneficial mechanism. SCO members are part of a regional framework that fosters economic growth, combats terrorism and encourages cooperation to reduce reliance on external countries. The benefits of reinforcing the pillars of SCO are beyond imagination.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization, with 80 percent of the Eurasian landmass and 40 percent of the world’s population, holds the largest regional cooperation globally. The SCO’s control encompasses 20% of the GDP, 20% of the world’s oil reserves and 44% of natural gas. “The leaders seated at this negotiation table are representatives of half of humanity,” as stated by the former president of Kazakhstan. This emphasizes the colossal significance of this organization. The SCO serves as a key foundation for maximizing the gains from joint anti-terrorism initiatives undertaken by its members. Creating the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) is an essential measure to ensure that terrorists are unable to exploit any opportunities to carry out their harmful intentions. Over the last few decades, the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) has achieved encouraging results by successfully countering various terrorist threats in the region. The SCO’s objective is to enhance energy cooperation among its members for state energy security. The SCO Energy club was founded in 2013 within this context. The CARs, with their vast oil and gas reserves, can be a major source of energy relief for member states. This collaboration is obligatory as it will result in cost-effective energy for member states and have a positive impact on their economies. SCO holds immense potential for regional connectivity development. By facilitating regional connectivity, member states can strengthen trade links and foster social bonds, essential for promoting regional integration and achieving collective prosperity. The goal of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is to strengthen relationships and promote cooperation among member states.
The West understands the great importance of SCO. China, Russia, Pakistan and India, the key states in the SCO, are of great importance. Together, these states can revolutionize the global power dynamics. Yet, there are specific obstacles that require urgent attention for SCO to reach its full potential. Regional integration necessitates tolerance among residing states. Tolerance provides room for states to find solutions to conflicts. The organization’s full potential is hindered by the deep-rooted conflicts among a few SCO members. The territorial conflicts between China and India and India and Pakistan, pose obstacles to collaboration across all sectors within the SCO. Resolving these conflicts is crucial for SCO to become a major regional organization. Furthermore, the SCO member states are limited in their ability to fully engage Iran due to international sanctions.
The integration of Iran with SCO members will bring benefits to all states due to its oil and gas reserves. The goals of this organization are hindered by the security dilemma in Afghanistan. The constant terrorism risks from Afghanistan hinder SCO’s expansion in the region. Furthermore, the SCO states need substantial investment to overcome the geographical barriers and establish connectivity. Connecting with CARs for trade and energy cooperation demands significant capital investment, which restricts member states from connecting. Furthermore, the presence of global bloc politics limits SCO member states from fully cooperating. International lobbying prevents SCO members from resolving their insecurities about other member states.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization has the potential to become the world’s most influential organization, but only if member states understand that regional prosperity requires sacrificing personal interests for the collective good. It is important for SCO member states to refrain from practicing bloc politics in the international arena as it does not benefit this region. The SCO members seek to bring maximum benefits to the region’s people through harmony, not an alliance against the world. By collaborating on education, SCO states can become a global hub for intellect and technology. Economic cooperation within the SCO would enable member nations to break free from their dependence on international players. Member states can better handle their global relationships and maintain their integrity by reducing the impact of international donors after acquiring economic cooperation.
Through a collective and trusted integration program, SCO members can effectively counter non-state actors and ensure peace across the region and states. Through mutual trade agreements, the SCO can enhance its influence in the international trade system and provide member states with greater leverage in global markets. SCO member states need to move past their deep-seated issues for a more prosperous future, akin to what European nations accomplished in the past. The recent SCO summit in Pakistan highlights Pakistan’s paramount importance in this setup and the intention of member states to strengthen the bond among SCO members. Through efficient resolution of conflicts, promotion of sustainable development and fostering regional integration, SCO can outperform any other regional organization. To achieve their desired objectives, the leaders of SCO states must foster this vision with wholehearted commitment and dedication. Failing to seize this opportunity would be tantamount to criminal neglect of future generations.
—The writer is an educationist and a Commoner from 44th Common, based in Sargodha.
