SCO Defense Ministers’ Meeting in Bishkek: Focus on Security and Multipolarity

On April 27-28, 2026, a meeting of the Ministers of Defense of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) held its Defence Ministers Meeting on April 27-28, 2026, in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. The meeting was attended by the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Sadyr Japarov; the defense ministers of the SCO members; SCO Secretary General Mr. Nurlan Yermekbayev; and Director of the Executive Committee of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) Mr. Ularbek Sharsheev. These days the SCO chairmanship is held by the Kyrgyz Republic. The main focus of the meeting was on counter-terrorism, regional security, and, most importantly, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East or West Asia. The SCO has emerged from the Shanghai Five of 1996, and it took its modern form in 2001, and since then the membership has grown to a full 10 members, with an additional 17 SCO Partners. The SCO has three main objectives: eradicating terrorism, extremism, and separatism.

The President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov met and greeted the defense ministers of the SCO member states. In his opening address, President Japarov said that the SCO is fully committed to ensuring........

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