Shanghai Cooperation Organization | op-ed |5-july-2024
Introduction
The Indian establishment has been busy hosting leaders from the global south and north, from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to the G-20 summits. It was the first visit to India by a Pakistani foreign minister since 2011. The Pakistani foreign minister’s travel to India should be viewed through the lens of the global SCO summit rather than any bilateral ramifications.
Pakistan’s Role in the SCO Summit
The visit demonstrates Pakistan’s commitment to not only multilateralism but also the SCO as a key geopolitical arrangement in Asia. Participation in the summit has been fruitful and beneficial to Pakistan. Pakistan was allowed to play its card as a responsible member state and to promote its narrative through the SCO. Pakistan’s goal should be to present Pakistan’s position and point of view to not only India but also the other participating countries. Because the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is a multilateral organization, Pakistan’s participation in the summit provided an excellent opportunity to strengthen bilateral and multilateral relations with member states. SCO and Constructive Discussions As a responsible state, we cannot ignore the fact that our all-weather friends, Russia and China, hold significant positions in this organization; more importantly, Iran is also a member of the SCO. As Pakistan and Iran move towards bilateral objectives, this platform is critical for the enhancement of their bilateral relations. Pakistan participated in the SCO summit in India, which gave positive signals to Iran and other neighboring states. This is advantageous to Pakistan, as it allows it to expand its cooperation with Iran.
Iran’s Membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization
The formal admission of Iran as a permanent member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization was an important component of the 22nd Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit. Accepting Iran as a full member of the SCO will open up a new horizon for multilateralism. It will benefit the entire region, not just Iran. While Iran may not reap many immediate benefits from joining the SCO, numerous experts believe it demonstrates Iran’s willingness to pursue better relations with China and Russia, the organization’s two most powerful members. Iranian media emphasized Iran’s participation in the SCO as proof that Iran and China are “growing incredibly close,” and stated that possible pressure from China and Russia played a role in Iran’s membership.
As a result of joining the SCO, Iran has gained success on both the political and economic fronts. Iran’s SCO Membership The addition of Iran to the SCO organization will greatly boost the SCO’s value as a regional alliance. The SCO now has all of the necessary stakeholders to solve regional concerns like security, connectivity, and economic development. Saudi Arabia, as a new discussion partner, now provides the SCO with a forum to enable Iran and the Kingdom to collaborate more.
On the other hand, it will give Pakistan and Iran a chance to meet and discuss delicate matters that separate the two neighboring countries. The admission of Iran to the SCO conveys a message of regional unity and ushers in a new era of regionalism.
There will soon be new power centers, including China and Russia, both of which are members of the SCO, and Iran’s membership in the SCO and becoming a permanent member will help strengthen those links and, hopefully, aid in the development of a regional alliance. The globe is currently shifting towards a new world order in which no single country can dominate global politics, economics, or military affairs. Similar concerns from the West can be found in both Iran’s and Pakistan’s modern environments. Following the pullout from Afghanistan, Iranian and Pakistani coordination and collaboration on political, economic, and other fronts will be critical. Iran’s permanent membership in the SCO would not only boost regional cooperation but would also provide Iran and Pakistan with a common platform to voice their concerns to a larger region and facilitate the development of coherent and comprehensive initiatives. The potential Iran and Pakistan must expand their partnership to form a far wider regional alliance with mutual friends such as China. Joining the SCO might have significant benefits for Iran. As a result, as the country becomes less isolated, Iran’s membership may help it bargain in the future from a position of strength. Because of its geopolitical position and energy resources, Iran has the potential to become a big commercial partner, and it will surely attempt to establish even deeper ties with other member states. Iran’s admission might enhance its economy and increase collaboration in the energy industry. Iran might be a substantial supplier of energy, and Pakistan could use the SCO platform to enhance bilateral trade.
Pakistan-Iran Bilateral Cooperation
Pakistan is an energy deficit country, and the country’s energy crisis is at its pinnacle. The SCO platform represents a good chance for Pakistan to collaborate with Iran and fulfill its energy needs from Iran at a low cost. Impacts of SCO Although Pakistan can work with Iran bilaterally, this forum validates Pakistan’s desire to be a democratic and responsible state in the region. The delayed gas pipeline between Pakistan and Iran can be rebuilt through SCO, and we can acquire cheaper oil and gas from Iran at a lower cost because we import electricity from Iran. Because Iran and Saudi Arabia have already reached a peace agreement, the pressure on Pakistan to balance its relations with Iran and Saudi Arabia has lessened. Pakistan may now engage with these two Muslim countries and progress towards multilateralism, as well as commence trilateral cooperation.
Conclusion
It is also critical to assess the significance of the BRI, as all three nations are members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Iran, on the other hand, is actively engaging with China’s BRI. Because of the trilateral cooperation, Pakistan and China’s massive energy and infrastructural partnership via the CPEC can be coordinated with Iran. The two pillars of Pakistan-China collaboration that fall under the CPEC umbrella are also noteworthy: energy cooperation and infrastructure development.
Iran benefits from both of these variables due to its large energy resources and technological breakthroughs in infrastructure construction. In both of these areas, Iran has a lot to offer. As a result, trilateral economic cooperation among the three countries appears to be a good decision. With Iran’s cooperation, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor can be expanded and developed from Gwadar to Chabahar.
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