Uzbek president announces plans to expand SCO

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced on Friday the plans of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to expand.

Speaking at a meeting of SCO leaders in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Mirziyoyev said a memorandum about Iran's accession to the organization is set to be signed.

The procedure has been launched to grant a member status to Belarus, he said, adding that Bahrain, Maldives, Kuwait, the UAE, and Myanmar are also set to get the status of a partner in dialogue.

Mirziyoyev suggested adopting the SCO strategy till 2040 and working out principles of food security.

He also noted that the time has come to address the issues of the SCO antiterrorist activities.

"There is no doubt that this legendary city (Samarkand) will open another page of the SCO's success," he said.

The SCO, an international organization founded in 2001, has eight member countries -- India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan.

It also has four observer countries, including Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, and Mongolia, and six partner countries -- Azerbaijan, Armenia, Cambodia, Nepal, Türkiye, and Sri Lanka.

It is expected that at the upcoming summit, the procedures for Iran's admission to the organization as a full member will be completed and Belarus' full membership application will be accepted.