Western concerns about SCO ambitions must be allayed. Kazakhstan can help
SCO members signed an array of economic and security agreements at the summit, aiming to strengthen the organisation’s economic influence through increased trade, investment and connectivity among its members. These connectivity efforts include China’s Belt and Road Initiative and the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, which traverses Kazakhstan to connect Asia to Europe and serve as an alternative to traditional routes.
The SCO contains substantial growth potential, with the economies of member countries showing growth rates between 4 and 9 per cent. These countries collectively account for about 30 per cent of the world’s GDP.
Given its geostrategic position, favourable investment climate and abundant natural resources, Kazakhstan is also a contributor to this economic potential. All this means the rest of the world should take the SCO’s economic influence seriously.
02:25
Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin hold talks on SCO sidelines in Kazakhstan
Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin hold talks on SCO sidelines in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan is keen to develop ties with the West, but at the same time it has taken its role as chair of the SCO seriously. This advantageous approach allows Kazakhstan to influence the SCO’s direction and relations with Western countries.
According to Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the SCO organised around 150 events and prepared 60 new documents at various levels during his country’s leadership, fulfilling all the goals and objectives the country set for itself at the previous summit.
Despite geopolitical tensions among some of its members, such as those between China and India as well as India and Pakistan, Kazakhstan’s diplomacy facilitated the adoption of the Astana Declaration and 25 other strategic documents. These included the Initiative on World Unity for Just Peace, Harmony and Development, which was supported by all SCO members. Kazakhstan’s experience in leveraging its balanced foreign policy, which seeks to maintain strong ties with all states, was on full display at the summit as the host nation facilitated agreement on documents among SCO member states despite continuing geopolitical disagreements among them.
Kazakhstan has focused its efforts on facilitating dialogue among conflicting actors, positioning itself as a middle power capable of acting as a stabilising force in global politics. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who also took part in the SCO Plus portion of the summit in Astana, has praised Kazakhstan’s efforts in mediating conflicts and promoting peace, recognising its growing influence within the UN framework.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev (right) attends a meeting with United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, on July 3. Photo: Handout
Given the rising levels of sanctions and confrontation between some SCO members and the Western world, Kazakhstan’s calibrated foreign policy is likely to only become more important. The SCO’s increasing global influence means Kazakhstan will need to leverage its experience to ensure the organisation remains focused on regional security and development, rather than confrontation with the West. Kazakhstan’s preference for pragmatic foreign policy suggests this objective should be achievable.
The SCO summit reinforced Kazakhstan’s relations with neighbouring giants China and Russia. President Xi Jinping’s state visit and meeting with Tokayev reaffirmed Beijing’s commitment to fostering strong ties with Astana. Xi praised Kazakhstan’s reforms and measures in both domestic and foreign policy, which he said had significantly increased the country’s “overall power and international authority”.
At the same time as Kazakhstan deepens its ties within the SCO, however, it will also continue to enhance relations with the West, including the European Union and the United States. As Tokayev has said, this approach is rooted in the country’s commitment to multilateral cooperation and adherence to the UN Charter.
11:00
Why Russia might be warming to China’s presence in Central Asia
Why Russia might be warming to China’s presence in Central Asia
While the SCO’s elevated influence in recent years could lead to increased hostility with Western structures such as Nato, particularly as a result of China and Russia’s membership, Kazakhstan’s role as a balancing force offers a pathway to finding common ground. By promoting cooperation, Kazakhstan and the SCO can contribute to global stability.
Tokayev said during the summit that the SCO had become an effective mechanism of interstate relations, operating on the basis of the “Shanghai spirit” of friendship, good neighbourliness, equality and mutual support. This shows the direction Kazakhstan aims to take the SCO. For the sake of global stability, hopefully all SCO members will align with this approach.
Stefan Antić is a senior research fellow at the Centre for International Relations and Sustainable Development (CIRSD) and managing editor of Horizons, CIRSD’s flagship quarterly journal
