Afghanistan is very much at the center of the discussion of the SCO Defense Ministers meeting which got underway today in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. The Russian Defense ministry issued a statement on Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu’s participation in the meeting, observing that “Military delegations from India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, as well as Belarus as an SCO observer state, will take part in the session planned for July 28.” Shoigu is expected to hold a number of bilateral meetings with his colleagues as well.
In his remarks to the meeting, Shoigu stated: “At this point, the situation in Afghanistan is particularly important because the country is actively engaged in the SCO’s activities as an observer country.… International terrorism, extremism, separatism and cybercrime continue to threaten the peaceful development of the organization’s members and the welfare of our peoples.… The coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated international tensions, traditional challenges and threats.”