SCO Summit To Convene In Bishkek, Afghanistan Excluded

Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to attend the summit. Yuri Ushakov, an aide to Putin, said the Russian president would travel to Kyrgyzstan from August 31 to September 1 and participate in the meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State.

The summit will bring together leaders of the organization's 10 member states, which include Russia, Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

The organization also has Afghanistan and Mongolia as observer states, while 15 other countries hold dialogue-partner status. Representatives of several guest countries and international organizations are also expected to attend the Bishkek meeting.

Among the organizations expected to be represented are the United Nations, Eurasian Economic Union, Collective Security Treaty Organization and Commonwealth of Independent States, highlighting the summit's broader regional and international significance.

Despite Afghanistan's observer status, the country has not been represented at SCO meetings since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. The Taliban authorities have not been granted the same participation in the organization's meetings as Mongolia, another observer state.

Afghanistan's absence from the upcoming summit comes as the Taliban authorities continue to seek greater diplomatic engagement with neighboring countries and regional organizations. The country's security situation, cross-border militancy, trade and connectivity remain issues of particular importance to SCO members, given Afghanistan's location between Central and South Asia.

The SCO has increasingly focused on regional security, counterterrorism, economic cooperation and connectivity, making Afghanistan a significant issue for member states even without direct representation from Kabul.

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