SCO leaders gather in Bishkek for 25th anniversary summit

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov welcomed heads of state from across Eurasia to the Yntymak Ordo complex in Bishkek on Tuesday as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization opened its 25th anniversary summit, formally declaring the Council of Heads of State meeting open following the traditional leaders' photograph.

In his opening remarks, Japarov noted the organization has evolved from a border security mechanism into a global actor influencing the international stage with growing economic weight. "Unity is the foundation of prosperity," he said, describing the phrase as reflecting the essence of the Shanghai Spirit and underpinning Kyrgyzstan's chairmanship philosophy.

The president added that this year's theme is "Together for Sustainable Peace, Development and Prosperity." He noted that member states now represent more than 40 percent of the world's population and approximately one-quarter of global gross domestic product, emphasizing the bloc's economic significance.

Bishkek Declaration expected

The summit proceeded behind closed doors following the inaugural session, with leaders expected to adopt the "Bishkek Declaration" commemorating the organization's silver jubilee and outlining priorities for the coming year. Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian were among those joining Japarov for the deliberations, alongside heads of state from Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Türkiye set for SCO Plus

The sessions were scheduled to continue with the SCO Plus meeting, which Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to attend. Türkiye has maintained dialogue partner status with the organization since 2012, though it is not a full member of the Eurasian bloc.