Islamabad is set to host the 23rd Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government (CHG) on October 16. Chaired by Pakistan, the meeting will primarily focus on strengthening trade and economic cooperation among member states.
“The 23rd Meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) will be held on 16 October 2024 in Islamabad under the chairmanship of Pakistan. The SCO CHG meeting is held annually and focusses on the trade and economic agenda of the organisation,” the MEA said.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will lead the Indian delegation at the 23rd Meeting of the SCO.
“India remains actively engaged in the SCO format, including various mechanisms and initiatives within the SCO framework,” the release added.
Jaishankar previously clarified that his visit to Islamabad is solely for attending the multilateral SCO Summit, not to address bilateral relations between India and Pakistan. He reiterated that his presence is in line with India’s active engagement as a member of the SCO.
According to a statement from the Pakistan Foreign Office, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will chair the upcoming CHG meeting.
The summit will be chaired by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Other attendees will include Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko, and the heads of government from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Iran will be represented by First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber.
Foreign ministers and officials from Turkmenistan, attending as special guests, will also be part of the meeting, while Mongolia’s Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai will attend as an observer.
The SCO, established in 2001 in Shanghai, aims to enhance cooperation in areas like trade, economy, science, technology, and regional security among its member states. Member countries include India, Pakistan, China, Iran, and Russia, with other dialogue partners such as Bahrain, Egypt, Qatar, and the UAE.
(ANI)
