Azerbaijan's Participation in SCO Summit Reflects Growing International Influence - ANALYSIS

The summit of member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which began on July 3rd, has captured the attention of global public opinion. Particularly notable is the honorary participation of President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan in this event, hosted by Kazakhstan, the current chair of the SCO. President Aliyev's personal invitation by President Tokayev of Kazakhstan to attend the summit is a clear demonstration of the strong friendship, respect, and trust towards our country's leadership.

The aim is to strengthen mutual trust and friendly neighborly relations among member states.

It is noteworthy that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization was founded in 2001 by several countries including Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. The organization's main objectives include strengthening mutual trust and friendly neighborly relations among member states. Additionally, the organization promotes effective cooperation in political, trade, economic, scientific and technological, cultural, educational, energy, transportation, tourism, environmental protection, and other fields, aiming to achieve peace, security, and stability in the region through combined efforts and the creation of a new political and economic international order. Currently, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has 9 member countries including Kazakhstan, China, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, India, and Iran. Afghanistan, Mongolia, and Belarus have observer status, and there are 14 dialogue partners, including Azerbaijan, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Armenia, Egypt, Cambodia, Qatar, Kuwait, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, and Sri Lanka.

Our cooperation with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is progressing on an upward trajectory.

It should be noted that a memorandum was signed in Beijing in 2016 granting Azerbaijan the status of a dialogue partner in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Also, in 2022, President Ilham Aliyev participated for the first time as an honorary guest at the SCO Summit in Samarkand. All these facts confirm that our cooperation with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is progressing on an upward trajectory. This not only enhances Azerbaijan's influence in the international arena but also enables our country to voice its opinions and positions at the global level through this important platform. President Ilham Aliyev's participation in high-level meetings and speeches in Astana underscores the importance of addressing our country's most important issues and priorities at the global level.

Meetings are indicators of high-level relations and mutual trust.

It is well known to the global community that during his visit to Astana, President Ilham Aliyev has already met with leaders from China, Russia, and Kazakhstan. This is indeed commendable, as such meetings are considered indicators of high-level relations and mutual trust. Furthermore, the trilateral meeting between President Ilham Aliyev, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, and Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif of Pakistan in Astana has also drawn significant attention. The global community continues to observe a series of developments, especially the increasing influence of our country, Azerbaijan. This increased influence is not without reason. It is widely recognized that Azerbaijan's growing influence is due to its successful foreign policy and successful multi-faceted and bilateral diplomacy. It is already recognized that Azerbaijan's participation in the SCO Summit not only connects East and West but also plays a crucial role in our country's economic infrastructure, as evidenced by the North-South and East-West transport corridors passing through Azerbaijan, as well as the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project, which was built with Azerbaijani investments. It is therefore clear that confidence and trust in our country and our country's leadership are constantly increasing. It should also be remembered that the fact that the COP29 is known as the largest ecological forum in our country plays a special role. It is already recognized that Azerbaijan's presidency of COP29 demonstrates that our country is implementing political policies at a global level, an international actor, and of course is interested in enhancing cooperation with the world's leading states, Baku.

The cooperation itself serves the mutual interests of both parties.

Of course, it is clear that cooperation between Azerbaijan and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization serves the mutual interests of both parties, as well as economic partnerships, transport links, terrorism, extremism and separatism, regional security, and stability, and civilization dialogue. It is, for example, on the one hand, that the partnership is quite beneficial for maintaining good relations with all the world and regional powers. On the other hand, it is also significant that Azerbaijan is a place to declare that the establishment of a global order that denies the hegemony of any state is a position.

President Ilham Aliyev's participation in the SCO Summit as an honorary guest and his active involvement in high-level discussions underscore Azerbaijan's growing influence on the global stage. His engagements with leaders from China, Russia, Kazakhstan, and other SCO member states during the summit serve as indicators of Azerbaijan's high-level diplomatic relations and mutual trust with these countries.

Moreover, the trilateral meeting between President Aliyev, President Erdogan of Turkey, and Prime Minister Sharif of Pakistan during the summit reflects Azerbaijan's role as a bridge between different regions and cultures. Such diplomatic efforts not only strengthen bilateral and multilateral ties but also contribute to regional peace, security, and stability.

In conclusion, Azerbaijan's participation in the SCO Summit is a clear manifestation of its active foreign policy, aiming to enhance its global influence and address key global issues. The SCO serves as a significant platform for Azerbaijan to promote its interests, strengthen economic partnerships, and foster dialogue among civilizations, further solidifying its position as a respected international player.