Founded in 2001, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is set to mark a historic milestone this August 2026 as leaders gather in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, for its 25th-anniversary summit. Taking the helm after the 2025 Tianjin summit, Kyrgyzstan has appropriately themed the monumental event: “25 Years of the SCO: Together for Sustainable Peace, Development, and Prosperity.”
SCO Secretary-General Nurlan Yermekbayev highlighted the summit’s ambitious agenda, which includes the proposed establishment of an SCO development bank, the creation of new regional transportation corridors, and the launch of the SCO Youth Digital Forum. Now comprising 10 member states, 2 observers, and 15 dialogue partners, the organization’s combined economic output soared to nearly $30 trillion by September 2025, accounting for roughly one-third of the global economy.
Former Secretary-General Rashid Alimov attributes the SCO’s enduring appeal to its foundation of equality and consultation, deliberately avoiding military alliances. China, a founding member, remains a driving force behind the “Shanghai Spirit” introduced in 2001. Following up on its commitments at the 2025 Tianjin summit—where Beijing pledged 2 billion yuan ($281 million) in grants for 100 “small and beautiful” livelihood projects—Chinese Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Liu Jiangping recently noted that the Bishkek summit will inject much-needed stability and certainty into today’s complex international landscape.
https://news.cgtn.com/news/2026-08-24/What-you-need-to-know-about-the-upcoming-SCO-summit-as-it-turns-25-1PRP0xHWqGI/p.html