On 1 September 2023, the UN General Assembly at its 99th plenary meeting of the 77th Session adopted Resolution 77/L.107 “Cooperation between the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.”

Drafted by Kazakhstan, which holds SCO chairmanship in 2023-2024, the resolution was co-sponsored by all the SCO member states, as well as by Azerbaijan, Belarus, Cambodia, Gambia, and Niger.   

The resolution acknowledges the constructive role of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in securing peace and sustainable development, advancing regional cooperation and strengthening good-neighbourliness and mutual trust, as well as its achievements in a number of other areas.  

It notes the granting to the Islamic Republic of Iran of the status of a state member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the signing of the Memorandum of Commitment by Belarus to obtain the status of a state member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.  

Specifically, it focuses on the commitment of the states members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation to pursue the implementation of the goals outlined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The resolution proposes that the UN Secretary-General holds regular consultations with the Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation through the existing inter-agency forums and formats.

It is also decided to include in the provisional agenda of its [UNGA’s] seventy-ninth session, under the item entitled “Cooperation between the United Nations and regional and other organisations”, the sub-item entitled “Cooperation between the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.”

The SCO has had an observer status with the UN General Assembly since 2 December 2004.  

On 5 April 2010, the Joint Declaration on Cooperation between the Secretariats of the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation was signed.   

The UN General Assembly adopted eight resolutions (64/183 of 18 December 2009, 65/124 of 13 December 2010, 67/15 of 19 November 2012, 69/11 of 11 November 2014, 71/14 of 21 November 2016, 73/334 of 30 August 2019, 75/268 of 25 March 2021 and 77/L.107 of 1 September 2023) on cooperation between the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.