BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 3. The speech by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Bishkek draws particular attention to the wide range of proposals put forward by Kazakhstan - from security and transport issues to AI, water scarcity and the role of the UN.
These areas are united by Astana's overall approach to multilateral cooperation. Tokayev speaks of the SCO as an organization that should remain open to interaction between countries with different interests.
"The SCO represents a unique palette of countries that are different in essence but united in spirit, embodying in practice the principles of non-interference, respect for sovereignty, mutual trust, openness and cooperation," the President of Kazakhstan said.
For Kazakhstan, this also has quite practical significance. In 2025, the country's trade turnover with SCO member states amounted to $72.6 billion, demonstrating the scale of economic interaction within the organization. However, the SCO agenda for Astana is not limited to trade - Kazakhstan also proposes using this platform to strengthen trust and reduce security risks.
This position is reflected in Kazakhstan's proposal to hold a special ministerial conference on strategic stability and confidence-building measures.
"We consider it relevant to hold an SCO Ministerial Conference on strategic stability and confidence-building measures on the Eurasian continent. The agenda of this event could include issues related to reducing military risks, containing a new arms race and preventing dangerous incidents," Tokayev said.
Thus, Kazakhstan proposes using the SCO's capabilities not only for economic interaction, but also for reducing risks and strengthening trust between states. Amid growing tensions between major powers, maintaining channels for dialogue is becoming a separate task.
In this context, Tokayev's assessment of the role of middle powers is also understandable. According to him, they can facilitate dialogue between different centers of power and participate in developing collective solutions.
"Their positions and initiatives should be properly reflected in global governance mechanisms. Kazakhstan is ready to actively contribute to this process," Tokayev said, speaking at the SCO Plus summit.
From security and dialogue issues, Tokayev moves to areas where multilateral cooperation can produce a more concrete economic result. One of them is the development of transport connectivity. The President of Kazakhstan proposed developing an SCO Transport Connectivity Strategy until 2035 and creating a Unified Digital Transit Platform.
For Kazakhstan, the transport issue is directly linked to its geographical position. About 85% of continental freight traffic between China and Europe passes through Kazakhstan, making increased transit efficiency an important economic task.
However, geography alone is not enough: cargo moves along routes where borders are crossed faster, there is less bureaucracy, and costs are lower. Therefore, transit digitalization, mutual recognition of electronic documents and "green corridors" have direct economic significance for Kazakhstan.
Another area Kazakhstan proposes developing through the SCO is artificial intelligence. Tokayev proposes pooling the efforts of universities, research institutions and technology companies from member states.
"Therefore, we consider it appropriate to propose creating, under the auspices of the SCO, a Network of Artificial Intelligence Centers involving leading universities, research institutions and technology companies of the member states," the Head of State continued.
At the same time, the issue is not only about knowledge exchange. As Tokayev noted, it is necessary to "...move from sharing experience to jointly creating technologies."
For Kazakhstan, this area is of practical importance as the country seeks to develop its own AI capabilities, participate in technology creation, and contribute to discussions on the rules governing their use. In Kazakhstan, 2026 was declared the Year of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence.
Another important issue for the region is water. For Central Asia, water is directly linked to agriculture, energy, the economy, and relations between neighboring states. According to World Bank data for 2024, more than 37 million people, or 49% of the population of Central Asia, live in areas facing severe water shortages.
Against this backdrop, Tokayev proposed establishing an International Water Organization under the auspices of the UN and, at the SCO level, a Center for Analysis of Water Problems.
"I count on the support of the SCO member states in establishing both an International Water Organization at the UN platform and a Center for Analysis of Water Problems of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization," the President of Kazakhstan said.
This is where another feature of Kazakhstan's approach becomes apparent: Astana proposes addressing some issues through regional SCO mechanisms, while bringing others to a broader international level.
Viewed as a whole, Tokayev's proposals in the areas of security, transport, technology and water are linked by a common objective - creating conditions for practical cooperation while at the same time preserving opportunities for political dialogue.
Within this system, the SCO serves as one of the platforms through which Kazakhstan can interact with several major centers of power simultaneously. For a country located between the largest economies of Eurasia, it is important to maintain the ability to cooperate with different partners and use multilateral formats to address specific issues.
This is where the practical value of Kazakhstan's approach lies: economic cooperation, transport connectivity, and technological development are advancing in parallel with the intention to preserve space for dialogue on security and international relations.
