Against the background of the unbalancing of the international relations system, fragmentation and rearrangement of the global order, the search for new strategies, drivers and models of sustainable development and security is of particular relevance.
The SCO is at the forefront of progress
The observed systemic crisis of trust between the major world powers brings medium and small states from different blocs to the world stage, with their own political features and even mutual contradictions, but declaring a common goal – sovereign development on the platform of national interests and countering challenges and threats. They are the ones to demonstrate today pragmatic and more responsible behavior in comparison with the global majors, as well as a mood for a constructive agenda as opposed to confrontation.
A good example of this sort of progressive “agglomeration” is the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), a community of growing regional players, some of which no longer hide their global ambitions. Due to its creative potential, the SCO is transforming into one of the leading institutions of cooperation in Eurasia [1].
The reverse side of the coin
At the same time, the SCO space cannot yet be called a “garden of eden” – the old problems that overlap with modern challenges, reinforcing each other, have not gone away.
These are the notorious “three evils” – terrorism, extremism and separatism [2]. There is also illicit trafficking in drugs, weapons, nuclear and radioactive materials, human trafficking, money laundering, organised crime, illegal migration.
Territorial, national-ethnic, religious and military conflicts remain unresolved giving rise to multi-layered humanitarian crises.
The general instability is exacerbated by the attempts of individual Powers to militarise cyber and outer space.
All these and other challenges have a long-term and multi-layered character, especially against the background of the collision of unipolar and multipolar approaches to world development.
At the same time, each crisis and challenge create opportunities, and it is important to use them timely and efficiently.
Belarus – donor of stability in the SCO
It is in this sense that Belarus has been consistently moving to the family of the SCO nations since 2010. As stated by the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko at a recent meeting in Minsk with Secretary General Zhang Ming [3], Belarus intends to fulfill the procedures for joining the SCO ahead of schedule for the June summit in New Delhi, which is an unprecedented case.
Belarus’ full membership in the SCO takes the alliance beyond the regional framework and strengthens its geopolitical subjectivity. Taking into account its geographical location and diverse potential, our country is able to qualitatively strengthen the SCO, contributing to stability, peace and prosperity.
The priorities and approaches of Belarus in the SCO [4] remain intact – they include effective cooperation to strengthen regional security, dynamic development of economic interaction and deepening humanitarian ties.
Taking into account the spectrum and dynamics of modern challenges and threats, Belarus consistently advocates the formation of a “seamless” architecture of security and cooperation in Eurasia based on the principles of indivisibility and cultural and civilizational diversity of sustainable development paths.
Minsk, as the current chair and a recognised donor of regional security, strongly supports the expansion of cooperation between the CSTO and the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) in areas of mutual concern.
The initiative to create a Universal Center for Threats and Security Challenges of the SCO on the basis of RATS designed to unite efforts to counter hybrid wars and “colour” revolutions deserves special attention.
It is obvious that the SCO’s economic track is still lagging behind the dynamics in the security sector, which is largely due to the disproportions of the economic potential and the dynamics of the countries’ development.
Therefore, Alexander Lukashenko has previously put forward a number of initiatives to ensure food security, create a specialised “AgroSCO” exhibition at “Belagro” international forum of agrarians, develop the “IT ecosystem of the SCO”, strengthen nuclear safety and peaceful use of the atom.
Based on the combination of national strategies and long-term development plans, we offer partners to use the opportunities of Belarus as a country with a traditionally strong and efficient agricultural sector, high-tech production, a developed intellectual base and agricultural engineering to strengthen the food, nuclear and cybersecurity of the SCO members and the whole region.
Connectivity will play a decisive role in the development of international relations in the future. Therefore, as a transit country, Belarus stands for the development of the interconnectedness of Europe with Eurasia within the framework of the initiatives “New Eurasian Land Bridge”, “North–South” and “East–West” international transport corridors including through the creation of combined green corridors and further implementation of the integrated traffic management system based on digital technologies.
Belarusian initiatives on the integration of global development strategies, the expansion of the use of national currencies in trade and finance, the development of a common transport space, the use of various cost-effective and environmentally friendly technologies remain topical.
The SCO’s potential can be strengthened through the intensification of trade and economic cooperation in industrial and technological areas; digital transformation, artificial intelligence and big data; green economy and climate adaptation; space exploration; elimination of unreasonable trade barriers, etc.
In the banking, financial and insurance spheres it is important to continue the systematic convergence of payment systems, increase the share of national currencies in mutual trade, as well as develop financial mechanisms protected from external influence.
We are convinced that the Eurasian partnership can be further “glued together” on the basis of the concept of “integration of integrations”, the essence of which is to expand international and cross–cooperation of the SCO with other regional associations – CSTO, EAEU, BRICS and ASEAN [5]. If we manage to establish such a workable mechanism in Eurasia, we do not rule out the interest of the EU countries in it.
Coordinated steps will strengthen mutual cooperation and thereby increase the competitiveness of national economies in the current turbulence.
Expert diplomacy as the SCO driver
In terms of SCO’s humanitarian dimension, expert diplomacy is seen as an instrument for deepening regional integration.
In April 2012, in Almaty, it was proposed to optimise the SCO Forum [6] by creating a network of analytical center based on a program-project approach in order to increase the level of scientific and expert-analytical support for the SCO’s activities, expand contacts among analytical structures, conduct joint research, etc.
The aspects of practical implementation of such a multilateral partnership could be, for instance, the joint development of the SCO Concept of Expert Diplomacy.
In the current conditions of geopolitical uncertainty, the main competition in the world revolves around designing the vision of the future. Apparently, this area of research is the most important for the SCO expert community.
Strategic analysis and forecasting are impossible without using high technologies.
The Belarusian Institute of Strategic Research (BISR) has developed “InfoMetrix» automated system based on algorithms and big data technology allowing to monitor the media.
The capabilities of the system make it possible to monitor the information agenda, analyse the development of information guides, identify fakes and black PR stories. An additional option allows users to solve the tasks of strategic marketing, competitive intelligence at the country and industry levels, as well as reputation risk management.
The Belarusian side is ready to bring these and a number of other technological developments as its practical contribution to strengthening the SCO expert and analytical basis, contributing to strengthening peace, stability and prosperity in the common Eurasian home.
Yuri M. Yarmolinsky, Analyst, Belarusian Institute of Strategic Research
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Endnotes
[1] Belarus’ FM: SCO is one of the pillars of a multipolar world, https://eng.belta.by/politics/view/belarus-fm-sco-is-one-of-the-pillars-of-a-multipolar-world-157173-2023/, Accessed on 14 March 2023
[2] Lukashenko to meet with SCO secretary general, https://eng.belta.by/president/view/lukashenko-to-meet-with-sco-secretary-general-157159-2023/, Accessed on 14 March 2023
[3] Shanghai Cooperation Organization Leaders Call For Increased Afghan Aid, Unfreezing Of Assets, https://www.rferl.org/a/shanghai-cooperation-organization-leaders-meet-in-dushanbe-with-afghanistan-in-focus/31464928.html, Accessed on 14 March 2023
[4] Belarus’ priorities in SCO: From green corridors to peaceful atom, https://eng.belta.by/president/view/belarus-priorities-in-sco-from-green-corridors-to-peaceful-atom-153153-2022/, Accessed on 14 March 2023
[5] Members of SCO, BRICS, EAEU invited to CIS International Economic Forum, https://eng.belta.by/politics/view/members-of-sco-brics-eaeu-invited-to-cis-international-economic-forum-156346-2023/, Accessed on 14 March 2023
[6] SCO Forum as «track two diplomacy» mechanism, https://panor.ru/en/articles/sco-forum-as-track-two-diplomacy-mechanism/39447.html, Accessed on 14 March 2023