ISLAMABAD: Tashkent will host the 12th session of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Forum, under the aegis of the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies and the foreign ministry of Uzbekistan.

Leading research centres from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, as well as India, Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan will join the SCO Secretariat and the Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure’s Executive Committee at the session, a press release of embassy of Uzbekitan issued here Wednesday said.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization was established in 2001 by the leaders of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan.

India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Mongolia, and Belarus are the organization’s observers, with Turkey, Sri Lanka, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Cambodia, and Nepal playing their part as partners.

The organization cooperates with the UN, ASEAN, the CIS, OECD, and CSTO.

The SCO Forum is aimed at boosting scientific cooperation and giving forecasts on SCO activities.

The upcoming forum will focus on the results of the 2016 SCO Summit in

Tashkent, security issues on the SCO territory, further cooperation development, and the organizations expansion.

The forum will also include discussions on stronger interaction with observers and partners.

Last year, SCO passed the Tashkent Declaration that summed up the fifteen years of the organization’s work.

The summit also focused on India and Pakistan’s admission as full-fledged members of the SCO.

Included on the forum’s agenda is Uzbekistan’s Action Strategy 2017-2021, which runs in line with SCO’s objectives.

The Action Strategy puts emphasis on transport infrastructure, the SCO’s major interest.

These projects will help build transport corridors between Asia and Europe. (APP)