Belarus formally joins SCO
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced on Thursday that Belarus has been formally admitted as a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) during the summit in Astana, Al Mayadeen English reported.
"Dear heads of state, the decision on the full membership of the Republic of Belarus in the SCO has been made," Tokayev said and congratulated Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on the occasion.
Tokayev noted that Belarus has swiftly fulfilled all requirements for full participation in the SCO.
Established in 2001 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan to combat terrorism and bolster border security, the SCO has grown in recent years. This expansion is in line with Beijing and Moscow's mutual objective of countering perceived US hegemony and reconfiguring the international system to their benefit.