DUSHANBE, Tajikistan
On 12 June 2026, Kaha Imnadze, the SRSG for Central Asia and Head of UNRCCA, participated in the International Conference “Central Asia – the Core of the SCO: the Space of Peace and Joint Development” in Dushanbe.
Convened by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan, the Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan and the SCO Friendship and Cooperation Centre in Tajikistan, the conference brought together Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs of SCO Member States, the SCO Secretariat, the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure, as well as regional and international organizations.
Held ahead of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the conference provided an opportunity to reflect on the SCO’s role in promoting regional dialogue, confidence-building, security cooperation and sustainable development. Discussions focused on Central Asia’s place in the SCO space, the contribution of regional cooperation to peace and stability, and opportunities for strengthening practical engagement among states and institutions.
In his statement, SRSG Imnadze noted that the SCO’s evolution from confidence-building and security cooperation towards a broader agenda of connectivity, development and people-to-people exchange reflects the growing understanding that regional stability is sustained through trust, opportunity and practical cooperation.
SRSG Imnadze also highlighted UNRCCA’s cooperation with the SCO and its relevant mechanisms, including the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure, particularly in the areas of preventive diplomacy, counter-terrorism early warning, rehabilitation and reintegration of returnees from conflict zones, and broader regional security cooperation. He reaffirmed UNRCCA’s readiness to continue working with the countries of Central Asia, the SCO Secretariat and relevant SCO mechanisms to support practical cooperation, regional stability and prevention.
The conference also featured interventions by senior representatives of SCO Member States and international organizations, followed by exchanges on strengthening the role of Central Asia as a space of peace, cooperation and joint development.
In the margins of the conference, SRSG Imnadze met with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan H.E. Mr. Idibek Kalandar to discuss cooperation between UNRCCA and Tajikistan, including preparations for the upcoming meeting of Deputy Foreign Ministers of the Central Asian States under UNRCCA auspices, scheduled to take place in Dushanbe in November 2026, as well as activities planned within the framework of the Fergana Peace Process.
