Pakistan has formally assumed the Chairmanship of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) for the coming year, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif outlining the country’s priorities around connectivity, innovation and shared prosperity. Pakistan will guide its year long tenure under the theme “Turning Vision into Action: Connectivity, Innovation and Shared Prosperity,” placing emphasis on translating the organisation’s broader objectives into practical areas of regional cooperation.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced the theme in a post on the social media platform X after addressing the SCO Council of Heads of State Meeting in Bishkek. During his remarks, the prime minister also congratulated the Kyrgyz Republic for successfully hosting the summit and steering the organisation during its term. Pakistan’s assumption of the chairmanship marks the beginning of its leadership period within the regional organisation and provides an opportunity to place its identified priorities on the SCO agenda during the coming year.
Shehbaz Sharif said that the SCO has developed into an important platform for regional cooperation over the past 25 years. Referring to the Shanghai Spirit, he noted the organisation’s evolution and its role in bringing member countries together around areas of common interest. Pakistan’s stated chairmanship theme builds on this broader focus by placing connectivity, innovation and shared prosperity at the centre of its priorities for the year ahead.
Connectivity is expected to remain an important part of Pakistan’s agenda during its chairmanship. The country’s theme links improved regional connections with wider economic and social cooperation, while also highlighting innovation as another area of focus. By combining these priorities with shared prosperity, Pakistan has positioned its chairmanship around regional development and cooperation rather than focusing on a single area of engagement.
During his address to the SCO family, the prime minister also highlighted the importance of water resources to the region. Shehbaz Sharif described water as the lifeblood of the region and said it must never be weaponised. He further stressed that treaties governing shared waters must be honoured in both letter and spirit. The remarks placed water cooperation and adherence to existing agreements among the issues highlighted by Pakistan during its assumption of the organisation’s chairmanship.
The emphasis on shared water resources comes in the context of the wider regional importance of water for populations, agriculture and economic activity. By raising the issue at the SCO level, the prime minister highlighted the need for countries sharing water resources to respect the treaties governing those resources. His remarks formed part of Pakistan’s broader message on regional cooperation and the importance of addressing issues affecting the people of the region.
The SCO has grown substantially during the past 25 years and now represents a major platform for engagement among its member states. Shehbaz Sharif expressed confidence that the organisation would continue to grow from strength to strength and deliver meaningful improvements to the lives of its more than three billion people. His remarks reflected Pakistan’s expectation that the organisation can continue expanding its role in regional cooperation and contribute to improved outcomes for its large population base.
Pakistan’s chairmanship for 2027 will therefore be guided by a theme that combines infrastructure and regional connections with technology driven progress and economic development. Connectivity, innovation and shared prosperity have been identified as the central pillars of the country’s tenure, while the prime minister’s comments also placed emphasis on cooperation over shared water resources and respect for existing treaties.
The formal transfer of the chairmanship follows the SCO Council of Heads of State Meeting in Bishkek, where Pakistan assumed responsibility for guiding the organisation during the coming year. Pakistan also recognised the Kyrgyz Republic’s role in hosting the summit and leading the organisation during its term.
As Pakistan begins its SCO chairmanship, the government has indicated that it intends to focus on converting the organisation’s broader vision into practical action. The theme “Turning Vision into Action: Connectivity, Innovation and Shared Prosperity” reflects the priorities Pakistan intends to promote throughout its tenure, while Shehbaz Sharif’s remarks underline the importance of regional cooperation, respect for shared water agreements and improving outcomes for the more than three billion people represented by the SCO.
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