Samarkand: The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Heads of State on Friday signed the Samarkand declaration which included a decision on the Comprehensive Action Plan for 2023-2027 for the implementation of provisions of the treaty on long-term good neighbourliness, friendship and cooperation among the SCO member states.

A decision was also made on the concept of cooperation of SCO member states to develop interconnectivity and create efficient transport corridors and on the improvement of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization activities.

Moreover, a decision on the regulations on the honorary title of goodwill ambassador of the SCO and on signing the Memorandum of Commitment of the Islamic Republic of Iran to become a member State of the SCO was included.

Additionally, a decision was included on launching the procedure of admitting the Republic of Belarus as a member of the SCO and on granting the Republic of Maldives, Kingdom of Bahrain, Republic of the Union of Myanmar, United Arab Emirates, and State of Kuwait the status of SCO dialogue partner.

Varanasi, India, was declared as the Tourist and Cultural Capital of the SCO in 2022-2023 and the summit also saw the signing of the Memorandum between the Secretariat of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (2023-2027).

It included approval of the report of the SCO Secretary-General on SCO activities for the period from September 2021 to September 2022 and a resolution of the Council of the Heads of the SCO member states on the approval of the report of the Council of the SCO regional anti-terrorism structure on the activities of the SCO regional anti-terrorism structure in 2021.

An agreement between the governments of the SCO member states on the development of cooperation in the field of tourism and a memorandum between authorized bodies of the SCO member states on cooperation in museum affairs was made.

An agreement was made between the authorized bodies of the SCO member states on cooperation in the field of plant quarantine and a programme of cooperation between authorized bodies of the SCO member states in the use of renewable energy sources.

The list of decisions included program to stimulate industrial cooperation between the business communities of the SCO member states and cooperation program between authorized bodies of the SCO member states on digital literacy development.

Furthermore, a decision was made on a program of cooperation between authorized bodies of the SCO member states on development of artificial intelligence and on roadmap on cooperation between medical organizations of the SCO member states in the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases.

Action plan for SCO Member States Scientific and Technical Cooperation in Priority Areas (2022-2025) and concept of cooperation of Ministries of Health of SCO Member States in the field of telemedicine was also incorporated.

The concept of interaction between authorized bodies of the SCO member states in the field of "smart" agriculture and Agro-innovation was also covered.