Column: SCO at 25, a steadfast advocate for peace and shared development

by Serik Korzhumbayev

Over the past quarter of a century, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has transformed from a regional mechanism into one of the world's most significant platforms for dialogue and cooperation across Eurasia. Yet its importance should not be measured only by geography, population or economic weight. What matters even more is the guiding principle behind the organization.

First is the belief that security should be common rather than exclusive. For me, one of the SCO's most important contributions is its understanding of security, something that is too often interpreted through the lens of military strength, deterrence and geopolitical blocs.

Sustainable security cannot be achieved simply by increasing military capabilities. Security is also economic, social and technological. It depends on whether young people have access to education, whether businesses have opportunities to grow, whether countries are connected by modern infrastructure, and whether neighboring societies trust one another.

A country surrounded by instability cannot remain completely stable. Likewise, prosperity in one part of a region cannot be sustainable if neighboring countries remain isolated from economic development. Poverty, inequality, unemployment, weak infrastructure and technological backwardness can themselves become sources of instability. This is directly connected to another distinctive feature of the SCO.

Second is the belief that development should be shared rather than monopolized.

Countries that are economically connected have a stronger incentive to preserve stability, which is why connectivity should be seen as part of peacebuilding. Therefore, investments in development should also be understood as investments in long-term security.

The more roads, trade routes, digital links, business partnerships and personal relationships exist between societies, the greater the cost of confrontation, and the greater the value of cooperation.

Peace is not simply the absence of war. Peace is the presence of opportunity. The SCO's approach increasingly reflects this interdependence, integrating the concept of security with development.

Third is the belief that differences among states should be managed through dialogue rather than confrontation.

Another important feature that distinguishes the SCO from many other international organizations is that it was not designed as a military alliance directed against another group of states. The 21st century does not need to reproduce the bloc politics of the 20th century. The international system is already fragmented. Creating additional dividing lines would make the world more dangerous rather than more secure.

The SCO brings together countries with different political systems, economic structures, cultural traditions and development models. This diversity might appear to be a weakness from the perspective of traditional alliance politics, but it is actually one of the organization's most interesting features -- demonstrating that countries do not need to share every political position or every interpretation of international events to cooperate.

What they need is a willingness to respect each other's sovereignty, recognize legitimate national interests and continue talking even when disagreements exist. This is precisely why the Shanghai Spirit, which features mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilizations and pursuit of common development, remains relevant today. It represents an alternative political logic: cooperation without forcing uniformity.

The SCO can make its greatest contribution precisely by maintaining an open, inclusive and non-confrontational character. This does not mean that member countries will always agree, as differences are inevitable. But multilateral diplomacy is not about eliminating differences; it is about creating mechanisms that prevent differences from becoming conflicts.

An anniversary is usually an occasion to look backward. For the SCO, its 25th anniversary should above all be an occasion to look forward. The challenges ahead are enormous, as geopolitical tensions are growing, climate pressures are intensifying, technological change is accelerating, and the risk of misunderstanding between major powers remains serious.

In such circumstances, institutions capable of preserving dialogue become more valuable, not less. The SCO can play an important role in that regard. Its future relevance will not be determined simply by the number of summits it holds or declarations it adopts. It will be determined by whether people across the region can see tangible results: safer societies, stronger economies, better infrastructure, more opportunities for young people, greater access to technology and a deeper understanding between nations.

Ultimately, peace and development are not separate goals. There can be no sustainable development without peace, and there can be no lasting peace without development. This is perhaps the most important lesson of the SCO's first 25 years. That is why the organization has every reason to remain a steadfast advocate for peace, cooperation and shared development in a changing world.

Editor's note: Serik Korzhumbayev, a media veteran, is the editor-in-chief of the Delovoy Kazakhstan newspaper.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of Xinhua News Agency.