ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Head of Academic Affairs Unit at Belarusian State University (BSU) in Minsk Professor Elena Dostanko has said that mega projects need collaboration among several Countries, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) can play a key role in that regard.
In her address at an International Conference on “Shanghai Cooperation Organization; Future Prospects and Regional Connectivity” organized by the Centre for Global & Strategic Studies (CGSS) in Islamabad on Tuesday, Professor Elena Dostanko said that the SCO is linking South Asia through Central Asia to Eastern Europe, the Eurasia.
Professor Elena Dostanko’s speech mainly focused on “The Prospects of European Dimension of the SCO in XXI Century”.
Elena Dostanko said that though Belarus is merely an Observer in the SCO but the organization has provided them a positive environment at the global arena.
The head of Academic Affairs Unit at BSU said that Belarus is also a part of “16-plus-one” initiative and believes in connectivity of the world for a better global future. She said that Belarus denounces and endeavours to wipe out extremism and terrorism, and the SCO also works for the same cause.
Professor Elena Dostanko said that common electric platform social networking and trade are ideas which Belarus promotes within the framework of the SCO.
Highlighting “Pakistan’s Contribution in SCO”, the Additional Secretary and the National Coordinator of Pakistan for SCO Zahoor Ahmed said that Pakistan contributes much to the SCO and our multilateral experience can be useful for the organization to bridge it with other Continents.
Zahoor Ahmed said that the government led by Prime Minister Imran Khan is focusing to utilize the Foreign Office for the development of the Country.
The additional secretary said that Pakistan has a growing consumer market for other SCO Members. He added that the SCO can be connected with warm water through Pakistan. He said that China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is also linked with the SCO region.
In addition he said that Pakistan fought out a successful anti-terror war and other SCO Countries can take benefit from our experience.
Zahoor Ahmed said that SCO’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) is playing a pivotal role to curb extremist elements in the region. He asserted that the SCO is not directed against any Country or region.
The Adviser to the Director at the National Institute for Strategic Studies of the Kyrgyz Republic (NISS KR) in Bishkek Seitzhan Apyshev also spoke on “Multilateral Cooperation in Cultural Exchange” at the Conference.
Whereas the Senior Research Fellow at the Tehran-based Institute of Political and International Studies (IPIS) Seyed Majid Ghafelehbashi delivered a lecture on “Iran’s Contribution in Shanghai Cooperation Organization”.
