Next meeting of defense departments' heads of SCO countries to be held in 2024

By Azernews

Rena Murshud

The next meeting of the heads of defense departments of the countries participating in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will be held in 2024 in Kazakhstan.

Azernews reports, citing the press service of the Kazakhstan Defense Ministry that a regular meeting of the defense ministers of India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan was held in New Delhi, who exchanged views on cooperation in the field of defense in the format of an organization, taking into account the current geopolitical situation.

Earlier it was reported about unscheduled talks between Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and his Chinese counterpart Li Shanfu on the sidelines of the meeting of the military departments' heads of the SCO member states. It was specified that during the conversation they "discussed issues of mutual interest."

"The next meeting of the heads of defense departments of the SCO member states will be held in 2024 in Kazakhstan," the report said.

The meeting participants also noted that strengthening confidence-building measures in the military sphere, coordinating the efforts of the SCO states to counter new challenges and threats to regional security remains relevant on the association's agenda, the Kazakh Defense Ministry specified.

It is of note that the Kazakh side will chair the SCO from July 2023 to July 2024.