SCO media and think tank summit held in Bishkek

By Nanda Lal Tiwari, Bishkek, July 27: The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Media and Think Tank Summit has been held here today with over 250 journalists and scholars representing about 150 media and think tank organisations from 27 member and dialogue partner countries adopting Bishkek Consensus to further consolidate practical cooperation for development.

Speakers at both the opening and plenary sessions of the summit held at the Ala-Archa State Residence in Bishkek, capital city of Kyrgyzstan, highlighted on the greater need of wider practical cooperation among media and think tank in the SCO countries to bolster a common understanding for building a shared future characterised by common development, mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation and respect for diversity of civilisations.

In line with the theme of the summit, the Shanghai Spirit in the new Era: From Shared Values to Practical Cooperation, the delegates dwelt on ways for joint coverage and opinion pieces around major international events in order to convey the common voice of the SCO countries- the global South.

Participants discussed particularly on four key areas: fostering consensus on development through media and think tank cooperation; expanding practical regional collaboration; promoting fairness and justice in global governance; and strengthening strategic coordination and win-win cooperation within the SCO framework.

In his inaugural speech, Baiyrbek Orunbekov, head of the information and policy service of the presidential administration of the Kyrgyz Republic, viewed that media cooperation was crucial for enhancing overall cooperation.

Speaking in the opening session, director of Kabar National News Agency of Kyrgyzstan, Shermetaliev Mederbek, underscored the importance of joint research information cooperation in this time of disinformation and misinformation challenges.

In her opening speech, Xi Yanchun, vice president of Xinhua News Agency, viewed that the media should focus on issues to enhance mutual benefit, common development and economic integration among the SCO countries.

Mohammed Saqib, secretary general of India-China Economic and Cultural Council, underlined the need of strengthening institutional connectivity and viewed that shared systems were more important than sentiments for bolstering cooperation.

He pointed out the need for human centered reporting and mechanisms wherein smaller members also heard at par with others.

Calling for stronger SCO media cooperation, Mohammad Mahdi Rahmati, CEO of Mehr Media Group of Iran, focused on strengthening intelligent media collaboration and countering misinformation through greater regional engagement.

Rahmati proposed four complementary steps for consolidating media cooperation in SCO countries that include forming a SCO media and think tank joint platform, a periodic evaluation mechanism, media and communication governance model and a permanent advisory model.

Marat Abulkhatin, deputy director general of Tass news agency, lauded the summit saying it has become an effective platform for exchanges and experience sharing and thus enhancing mutual understanding and deepening cooperation.

Full text of the SCO media and think tank summit consensus 2026:

On July 27, 2026, the 2026 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Media and Think Tank Summit was held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. A total of 250 representatives from 160 mainstream media outlets, renowned think tanks and government institutions of SCO countries, as well as the SCO Secretariat, attended the event.

Focusing on the theme of “The ‘Shanghai Spirit’ in the New Era: From Shared Values to Practical Cooperation,” the summit conducted extensive exchanges and in-depth discussions on how to leverage the unique role of media and think tanks to promote deeper practical cooperation among SCO countries, deliver win-win results, and build an even closer SCO community with a shared future.

We have witnessed that over the past 25 years since the SCO’s founding, the organization has always upheld the “Shanghai Spirit,” firmly practiced multilateralism, and played a significant role in enhancing solidarity and mutual trust among regional countries, maintaining regional security and stability, promoting regional prosperity and development, and advancing the reform of the global governance system. SCO media and think tanks should present a true narrative of the SCO and a full picture of SCO countries’ cooperation outcomes across all fields, and demonstrate SCO strength and SCO commitment.

We hold that upholding peace, security and regional stability is the shared responsibility of SCO countries and also the fundamental prerequisite for realizing prosperity and development. SCO media and think tanks should act on the Global Security Initiative, thoroughly interpret the contemporary connotation of security cooperation, advocate the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and foster a public opinion environment that features dialogue rather than confrontation, partnership rather than alliance, and win-win rather than zero-sum outcomes.

We hold that realizing prosperity and development is the common pursuit of SCO countries, which bears on the well-being of people of all countries. SCO media and think tanks should act on the Global Development Initiative, tell vivid stories of connectivity and mutual benefit among the SCO countries, and provide an exchange platform and intellectual support for continuously aligning the Belt and Road Initiative with national development strategies of SCO countries, so as to promote higher-quality and more sustainable economic growth.

We hold that deepening exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations is the shared mission of SCO countries, which helps enhance mutual understanding and identification among the peoples of SCO countries. SCO media and think tanks should act on the Global Civilization Initiative, systematically expound the cultural heritage and contemporary connotation of SCO countries, actively participate in and cover activities related to the International Day of Dialogue among Civilizations, and build broad consensus for different civilizations to coexist inclusively and engage in exchanges and mutual learning.

We hold that upholding fairness and justice and practicing true multilateralism are the common propositions of SCO countries, which serve the shared interests of all parties. SCO media and think tanks should act on the Global Governance Initiative, advocate the clear stance of choosing unity over division, cooperation over confrontation, and justice over hegemony, and promote the building of a more just and equitable global governance system.

We are convinced that this summit will help SCO media and think tanks build broad consensus, deepen practical cooperation, contribute to regional solidarity, cooperation, development and revitalization, and contribute wisdom and strength to realizing the beautiful vision of the Five Common Homes– a common home featuring solidarity and mutual trust, peace and tranquility, prosperity and development, good-neighborliness and friendship, as well as fairness and justice– and building an even closer SCO community with a shared future.

This summit is co-hosted by China’s Xinhua News Agency and Kabar National News Agency of the Kyrgyz Republic.