Uzbekistan is hosting a historical moment, a summit that has great significance in terms of politics of the region and of the world. We are witnessing a summit, in which world’s primary leaders participated, highlighting the cooperation in “Rising Asia” once again, and new-concrete decisions are expected to be taken at the point of carrying this to a global dimension.
At that point, the “Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Samarkand Summit”, which is held under the Term Presidency of Uzbekistan, has a great importance in many dimensions. The outlines of this importance are:
- The message of “not war, but peace, cooperation, to win all together, to make our world more liveable” is given from Samarkand to all world, in an environment, where a new world order is tried to be constructed over crisis, and where new multi-dimensional security problems, including climate, energy and food issues are escalated.
- As a matter of fact, it is indicated that nearly 30 documents are going to be signed in this summit. It is observed that, within those documents, the areas of transport, green energy, industry, digital technology, and innovation are included. It is understood that the summit will focus on the amelioration of the transport corridors, which are the most basic parameters of regional security and cooperation, and in that context, the infrastructure works towards realization of South Asia-Central Asia-Caucasia-Europe route, will be escalated.
- In that sense, the “win-win” understanding, the emphasis on “cooperation” and “dialogue”, is quite remarkable in terms of creating a context of the mission and vision of SCO, that they are highlighted in the message of “If each of us is strong, the SCO is strong”, and “Towards Joint Success through Development Together”, which took place in article of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Mr. Mirziyoyev, titled “SCO Samarkand Summit: Dialogue and Cooperation in a Globalising World,”
- In that sense, it is observed that the search for cooperation-based solution to the Afghan Question will be the one of the important agenda topics of this summit again. When we think the agenda topics in question with the “Central Asia and South Asia: Regional Connectivity. Conference of Challenges, and Opportunities” under the guidance of President Mr. Shavkat Mirziyoyev, once again, the success of Term Presidency of Uzbekistan reappears.
- It is seen that the interest towards the organization increases day by day. Particularly, during the term presidency of Uzbekistan, which emphasizes multidimensionality in its foreign policy, the increasing interest in the SCO’s full membership, observer membership and dialogue partnership is very important. In that sense, the inclination of SCO to enlarge shows itself with the increase of member, observer and dialogue partner in many different geographies and regions.
- It is not correct to explain the internationalization and gaining a global dimension of the organization, only with participations from different geographies and regions, or increase interest towards the organization. The agenda topics of SCO Samarkand Summit reflect the reasons of the interest towards this organization. This interest can be evaluated as a message of the world not of war, but peace-stability and cooperation.
- With the expression of the President of Uzbekistan Mr. Shavkat Mirziyoyev, SCO’s process of globalization based on peace, cooperation and dialogue, as a “successful model for regional cooperation.” The title of Mr. Mirziyoyev’s article, published in many different languages, is also addressing this.
- Therefore, the Samarkand Summit highlights a turning point in terms of putting the SCO’s place in the international system as a constructive organization centred on cooperation from regional to global.
- Participation of President Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan can be accepted as an indicator of a support of Türkiye to regional-global peace and stability, dialogue, cooperation and diplomacy. Evaluating this as a shift of axis represents an attitude and understanding that are extremely inappropriate and unfair. Türkiye’s participation to the SCO Summit as a “Dialogue Partner” is a part of constructive, multilateral and cooperation-based diplomacy understanding, which is defended in the process of reconstruction of the axis of the world. This shows the consistency of Ankara in the foreign policy. Thus, President Mr. Erdoğan is being invited to that summit is quite remarkable in the sense of reflection of trust of Eurasia and Rising Asia to the Turkish foreign policy and Türkiye. At the same time, this is the sign of the support towards the diplomacy of Ankara, which pivots around peace, cooperation and dialogue. Therefore, participation to that summit is quite significant in terms of indicating the emphasis on multilateralism, cooperation based on win-win understanding, prosperity in Turkish foreign policy, and in that sense, to show the appreciation and acceptance of this by the whole world.
As a result, SCO Samarkand Summit has already taken its place in the history as a summit that breaks ground, and as a summit that is prominent in terms of constructing international system, not only in the sense of organization. Undoubtedly, the diplomacy of Uzbekistan, which has shown a great performance under the leadership of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, has an important place in this success. In that context, Samarkand, which is the cultural centre of New Uzbekistan and the region, has played the expected role in the history of the world and humanity once again, and will continue to do so. This summit has already taken its place in the history as a historical success in terms of “Third Renaissance”, indeed.
