The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO ) held its 24th , summit of heads of state on July 4 in Astana, Kazakhstan. When the event was n’t ignored all together, the majority of American internet criticized it, but it later proved to be one for the history books.  ,
It brought together the heads of nations that make up nearly 30 % of the world’s GDP, 40 % of the landmass, and 80 % of the world’s population in one room. The fruits of more than , two years of inter- European politics, the , SCO has ten whole people ( Belarus joined on July 4 ) and 14 “dialogue lovers” from Asia and the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia.
The conference participants approved 25 proper documents covering power, protection, trade, environment and finance.  ,
The message is, of course, that Eurasian integration continues to advance with unwavering enthusiasm despite ( or probably because of ) bloody wars, bare-faced meddling by outside powers in Asian nations ‘ internal affairs, and the growing unreliability of the US dollar as a “non-partisan” means of exchange and store of value.
Asian security concept
The true story of the SCO Summit, for anyone paying close attention ( I was that ), is that European countries are moving to establish an undivided,  , Eurasia- centric , social security framework that may work alongside post- Military global security architecture, despite the latter’s shortcomings and contradictions.  ,  ,
Without making this point, some American journalists characterized the summit as either a community for business growth, an training in futile optics, or as an attempt to gain the support of states trapped in the gulag of non-Western, misfit nations.  ,  ,
According to the Astana Declaration,” [the member states ] find it unacceptable that individual countries or groups of state attempt to advance their own protection at the expense of the safety of other says.” Turkish President Recep , Erdogan echoed this watch:
” As Turkey, we consistently draw attention to the flaws of the existing international order. Despite all obstacles, we are working to build an efficient international system where appropriate makes does – not the other way around – and which embraces the entire society, promotes peace, security, stability, and prosperity, tackles economic disparities, and eliminates world injustices”.
Any Eurasian nation joining the SCO would be welcomed by member states as long as they adhere to regular accession requirements. China has specifically stated that it welcomes US allies to take part in a “new security arrangement.“
The list of applicants is growing, and explains, in part, the presence at the Summit of Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani ( Qatar ) and H H Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and the Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah ( UAE ).  ,
Turkey, a member of NATO, is close to signing up as a full member, following in Iran’s footsteps. We want to strengthen our ties with Russia and China within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.  , We believe they should accept us not just as a’ dialogue partner’ but as a member like the others”, said Erdogan.
SCO chair and host of the confab, Kazakhstan’s President Kassym- Zhomart Tokayev, underscored the summit’s underlying focus on security:” Today, the world is facing serious challenges due to unprecedented geopolitical contradictions and growing conflict potential. The security architecture of the world is in danger, which could have dire repercussions for everyone. In such a crucial period, we have a great responsibility to strengthen peace, stability, and security through collective efforts at regional and global levels”.
Chinese President Xi Jinping made the same point:  ,” No matter how the international landscape changes, the]SCO] must uphold a common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security ]system]. The security of all countries is a premise for real security.
According to Uzbekistan’s President Mirziyoyev, SCO members should “intensify joint efforts to strengthen the atmosphere of trust and friendship within the SCO and to remove barriers to further cooperation.” First of all, a thorough review of the conceptual foundation that supports the SCO’s security-related activities is required.
The heads of state of Azerbaijan, Belarus, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Turkey echoed these sentiments. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was represented at the SCO by Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar.
A report from the West’s press suggested that Modi was avoiding the SCO Summit because he felt uneasy about the direction the organization was taking.
Besides having urgent parliamentary duties, Modi, according to Indian sources, was reluctant to speak with President Xi until further progress is made at the ministerial level on the resolution of Sino-Indian border disputes along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh.
It would have been premature for Modi and Xi to have met.  , Border issues between the two heads of state will probably be left until the October 2024 BRICS meeting in Kazan, Russia. Yes, Prime Minister Modi did not get to meet with President Putin in Astana, but the two leaders were already scheduled to meet in Moscow on July 8 during the NATO summit in Washington.  ,
It is absurd to claim that Modi has feelings for the SCO. Western think tank leaders are more likely to be uneasy with India’s growing strategic autonomy, but that’s another story.
SCO de- dollarization
In the interim, SCO members reaffirmed their desire to expand the group’s non-SWIFT payment and settlement systems and called for the expansion of national currencies in international trade.
President Tokayev once more summarized the sentiment:” The transition to national currency settlements has gained positive momentum.” According to the Astana Declaration,” Member States emphasized the need for further implementation by the SCO to promote a gradual increase in the share of national currencies.”
As long as the West continues to impose unilateral sanctions and restrictions on the use of US dollars, which the Global South and SCO members believe are incompatible with international law and property rights, the organization’s efforts to break away from Western payment and settlement systems will continue to grow.
In conclusion, the 2024 Astana Declaration was no simple rehash in bureaucratese of the 2022 Samarkand Declaration. In its SCO format, the Astana Declaration represented a thoughtful set of statements and principles about the intentions and policies of the organization’s members. It would be foolish to dismiss it and the SCO members ‘ speeches as mere banter or as a prestige-building exercise.
The Astana 2024 SCO Summit’s real story is that the SCO’s goal is to develop a new, Eurasia-centric collective security framework that acknowledges the sovereignty of independent countries in a multipolar world and the tenet that a foreign policy that pursues the common good is best served by.  ,
The nations of Eurasia and the Global South are definitely worth watching, according to Western think tanks.  ,