The 23rd meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (CHG) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) concluded on Wednesday, marking a key milestone in strengthening cooperation among member states.
During the closing session, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif officially handed over the chairmanship of the SCO’s CHG to Russia, expressing his gratitude to Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. He also announced that the next CHG meeting would be held in Russia in 2025.
Condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza, PM Shehbaz emphasized that “we cannot turn a blind eye to the ongoing genocide in Gaza.” He urged the international community to ensure an immediate and unconditional ceasefire and work towards establishing a Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds as its capital.
The summit concluded with the signing of key documents, including a joint communique and agreements aimed at boosting economic and trade cooperation, as well as decisions to enhance the efficiency of SCO’s permanent bodies. The prime minister thanked all the national coordinators, experts, and SCO Secretariat staff for their hard work in finalizing these documents.
Congratulating Russia’s Prime Minister Mishustin on assuming the chairmanship, PM Shehbaz expressed Pakistan’s full support for the Russian chairmanship and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to SCO’s shared goals. He called for prioritizing collaboration over political differences, urging all member states to build on their successes and address common challenges together to ensure the SCO remains a pillar of stability, development, and mutual benefit for its people.
