Beijing (VNA) – The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on July 10 signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Laos, officially granting the Southeast Asian nation dialogue partner status.
The agreement was signed in Beijing by SCO Secretary-General Nurlan Yermekbayev and Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongsavan Phomvihane. It provides a framework for cooperation in areas including security and stability, the economy, law, infrastructure, culture, innovation, and other mutually agreed fields.
Under SCO regulations, dialogue partners may participate in thematic meetings, ministerial conferences, and expert forums organised by the organisation in areas covered by the MoU.
Speaking after the signing ceremony, Thongsavan pledged that Laos would actively promote cooperation with the SCO, particularly in trade, logistics, transport, and tourism. He described the SCO as an important regional intergovernmental cooperation platform whose principles are consistent with Laos' foreign policy. As a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Laos is ready to further strengthen coordination with the SCO.
Previously, at the 25th SCO Summit held in Tianjin, China, in September 2025, leaders of SCO member states agreed to grant Laos this status.
Established in 2001, the SCO currently has 10 full member states: Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, along with several dialogue partners./.
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