Islamabad is getting ready to host the 23rd Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government (CHG) on October 16. Chaired by Pakistan, the meeting will focus on enhancing trade and economic cooperation among member states.

The Ministry of External Affairs announced, “The 23rd Meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) will be held on 16 October 2024 in Islamabad under the chairmanship of Pakistan. The SCO CHG meeting is held annually and focuses on the trade and economic agenda of the organization.”

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will lead the Indian delegation at the meeting. The ministry noted, “India remains actively engaged in the SCO format, including various mechanisms and initiatives within the SCO framework.”

Jaishankar has emphasized that his visit to Islamabad is strictly for the multilateral SCO Summit and is not intended to address bilateral relations between India and Pakistan. He reiterated that his participation aligns with India’s commitment as a member of the SCO.

According to the Pakistan Foreign Office, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will chair the upcoming CHG meeting. Attendees will include Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko, and heads of government from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Iran will be represented by First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber.

Foreign ministers and officials from Turkmenistan, attending as special guests, will also participate, while Mongolia’s Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai will be present as an observer.

The SCO, founded in 2001 in Shanghai, aims to enhance cooperation in trade, economy, science, technology, and regional security among its member states. Member countries include India, Pakistan, China, Iran, and Russia, along with dialogue partners such as Bahrain, Egypt, Qatar, and the UAE.

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