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Memorandum of commitment by Belarus to join SCO signed by all member states

MINSK, 4 July (BelTA) – A memorandum of commitment by the Republic of Belarus to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has been signed, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus Sergei Aleinik told journalists following the online meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State on 4 July, BelTA has learned.

“A memorandum of commitment by the Republic of Belarus to join the organization as a full member has been signed at the summit. This memorandum was penned by all countries without exception, it was signed by the SCO secretary general. The further process will involve the ratification of this memorandum and the entire package of our commitments by all member countries,” the foreign minister said.

According to him, the ratification process should be completed by all the countries before Belarus can become a full member of the SCO: “We expect this to happen in the near future. On our part, all the necessary legislative work has been done. We have ratified simultaneously the memorandum and 47 agreements that were signed within the framework of the SCO by the member states; thus, Belarus accedes to these documents as part of this process.”

Sergei Aleinik noted that all the leaders of the SCO member states have a similar assessment of the changes taking place in the world and are determined to build a more fair world order. “Today’s summit reaffirmed the commitment of all leaders towards greater unity, greater solidarity, respect for fundamental interests of the member countries and further progressive sustainable development of all member states without exception,” he said.

The foreign minister said that Belarus views the SCO not only as a dialogue platform, but also as an organization that involves practical cooperation. “Undoubtedly, security issues are in the foreground today. A lot of attention was paid to trade and economic cooperation, the trade potential of the organization,” Sergei Aleinik noted.

The foreign minister cited data according to which at present the trade of the SCO countries accounts for 20% of the global trade, and 70% of Belarus’ trade falls on the SCO members and partners.

In addition to the discussion of the SCO trade potential and removal of existing barriers, much attention at the summit was paid to transport and logistics, settlements in national currencies.

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