Social Development in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Realm

SCO engages the Central Asian nations with Russia and China and also countries like Afghanistan, Mongolia, India, Pakistan and Iran which are ‘observer’ countries. This consortium makes the SCO a key player in accelerating regional integration and cooperation. Looking beyond the geo-political rhetoric, the SCO does not appear uniquely postured against the United States, Europe or Japan. Its aim seems to be more than simply a move towards balancing of power or the security situation in the region. The SCO is also focusing on economic and social integration of the region and has gone to great lengths to create confidence in its desire to promote prosperity and cooperation. The goals of the SCO are to encourage trade links, social and political cooperation, find joint solutions to problems of environment, infrastructure, education, and to build scientific and cultural links between member states, the region as a whole and internationally. In its own stated aims the SCO is not an organisation that is against any groupings, regions or particular nation-states. So, it should not be seen as a threat but a vehicle for increasing economic and social prosperity in the region. The Cambridge project focuses on building analysis and data on social development in SCO realm. Additionally, since all major SCO actors and NATO are presently working in Afghanistan and this makes for a unique opportunity for development of confidence building framework between the organisations. (Saxena, Kalra)