On August 31, 2025, in Tianjin, China, SCO Secretary-General Nurlan Yermekbayev met with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on the sidelines of the SCO Plus meeting during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit. The meeting highlighted growing coordination between the two bodies on global peace and development.
SCO Emphasises UN as Key Partner
Yermekbayev emphasised that SCO member states view the UN as the “main universal multilateral organization and a key partner” in promoting international peace and security, advancing sustainable development, and addressing new global challenges. He reaffirmed the SCO’s readiness to deepen cooperation with UN specialized agencies through joint projects and events.
Guterres Praises SCO, Congratulates Yermekbayev
António Guterres congratulated Yermekbayev on assuming his role as SCO Secretary-General and commended the “positive dynamics of joint work” between the SCO and the UN. He also assessed the outlook for deeper collaboration between the two organisations as highly favourable.
Plans for Future Engagement
Yermekbayev informed Guterres about his upcoming participation in the UN General Assembly in New York, the continued promotion of the UNGA Resolution on SCO–UN cooperation, and preparations for the SCO Heads of State Council meeting. Both sides expressed mutual interest in maintaining regular exchanges on regional and global issues.
The meeting was described as being held in a warm and friendly atmosphere, further solidifying a partnership that dates back to 2004, when the UN General Assembly granted the SCO observer status, and 2010, when a Joint Declaration on Cooperation was signed.
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