Photo: IRNA News Agency

Taliban Excluded from 23rd Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Pakistan

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The 23rd Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will take place in Islamabad on October 15–16, but the Taliban leaders in Afghanistan have not been invited, according to an announcement from Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will chair the summit, which will bring together top leaders from China, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Iran. India’s foreign minister will also attend, while Mongolia’s prime minister and Turkmenistan’s foreign minister are expected as observers and special guests.

The summit will focus on promoting cooperation in economic, trade, environmental, cultural, and social sectors. Leaders are also set to review the SCO’s annual performance and approve the organization’s budget.

Afghanistan, once a regular participant as an observer under its previous government, has been excluded from SCO meetings since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021. The group’s hardline rule has led SCO members to distance themselves, with no invitations extended to Taliban officials for international engagement under the organization’s platform.

Established in 2001, the SCO is a political, economic, and security alliance aimed at fostering regional stability and cooperation. Its members represent a significant portion of the global population and landmass, and they work together to address regional security challenges, strengthen economic ties, and promote cultural exchange.

This year’s summit takes place amid rising geopolitical tensions in Central Asia and beyond, with discussions likely to center around regional security, trade partnerships, and environmental cooperation. The absence of Afghanistan highlights the continuing isolation of the Taliban government on the international stage.