President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon proposed developing zones of economic growth and a Regional Digital Agroecological Platform within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). He put forward this initiative on September 1 at a meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State in Bishkek, dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the SCO.
At the beginning of his speech, Rahmon highly praised Kyrgyzstan’s chairmanship of the organization and thanked President Sadyr Japarov for his hospitality and organization of the summit.
The President recalled that Tajikistan is one of the founding countries of the “Shanghai Five” and the SCO and has participated in the organization’s development and strengthening of its international authority since its creation.
Security was one of the central themes of his speech. Rahmon drew attention to the intensification of geopolitical contradictions and regional conflicts, as well as the growing threats of terrorism, extremism, and radicalism.
“In this regard, a concrete step would be the prompt launch of the Anti-Drug Center and the Universal Center for Countering Security Challenges and Threats,” the President stated.
He also again emphasized the need to settle regional and international conflicts, including in the Middle East and around Iran, exclusively through political and diplomatic means.
Speaking about the global agenda of peace and stability, Rahmon thanked the leaders of partner countries for supporting Tajikistan’s initiative to proclaim a “Decade of Strengthening Peace for Future Generations.”
The President named trade and economic cooperation as another priority. According to him, additional momentum should be given to cooperation in industry, energy, transport and transit, as well as agriculture.
He paid special attention to the digital economy, innovation, and high technologies, including artificial intelligence, which, in his view, should become important factors in the long-term development of SCO countries.
Against the backdrop of tensions in regional and global energy markets, Rahmon proposed strengthening coordination in the field of traditional energy while simultaneously promoting green transformation projects more actively.
In this context, the President put forward a proposal to develop zones of economic growth within the SCO space, as well as a Regional Digital Agroecological Platform.
Rahmon also welcomed progress on the establishment of the SCO Development Bank, which should become one of the mechanisms for financing joint economic projects of the organization’s countries, and addressed issues of ecology and water resources.
“Preservation of glaciers, rational use of water resources, prevention of land degradation, and ensuring environmental security are today strategic tasks of sustainable development,” the President noted.
He expressed hope for continued support of Tajikistan’s international initiatives in these areas.
In conclusion of his speech, Emomali Rahmon congratulated Pakistan on assuming the SCO chairmanship and supported the initiative to declare Lahore the tourism and cultural capital of the organization in 2026–2027.
