Eastern Links: Arab countries want to work more with the SCO
Arab countries want to become more actively involved in the work of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). The head of the representative office of the League of Arab States (LAS) in Russia, Walid Hamid Shiltag, told Izvestia about this. According to him, cooperation with the association opens up new opportunities for the region in the economy and international diplomacy. He noted that Arab countries positively assess contacts with the SCO and are already participating in its meetings. Closer connectivity will strengthen the organization's potential as one of the key centers of global development, and will provide new growth points for Russia. In which areas to expect joint projects, see the Izvestia article.
SCO sees potential in developing partnership with Arab League
The Arab states can play a more prominent role in the SCO's activities. This was reported to Izvestia by the head of the Arab League representative office in Russia, Walid Hamid Shiltag. According to him, the development of cooperation with the association opens up new opportunities for the states of the region in the field of international diplomacy and economics.
— The League of Arab States and Arab countries generally positively assess cooperation with the SCO, as well as with BRICS. Some countries take part in the meetings, and there are countries that also want to become part of these associations," the diplomat noted.
Secretary General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit
At the same time, as Walid Shiltag noted, this is not about creating blocs, but about forming a new system of multilateral cooperation that increasingly unites a significant part of the international community.
— Many states really express a desire to participate in order to expand their economic ties, but there are no hard borders between the countries in these matters. Mutual interests are important here, and Arab countries can take a more active part in the SCO," the ambassador said.
The region's desire to expand its participation in the SCO is primarily related to economic integration. The Arab countries are convinced that they will organically fit into the economic mechanisms of the organization and complement the existing formats of interaction.
The interest in joint work is also confirmed in the SCO. Ahmad Saidmurodzoda, Deputy Secretary General of the association, said that the organization sees potential in developing partnership with the Arab League, including for joint response to challenges related to climate change. On October 3, the first major meeting of representatives of the SCO and the Arab League on sustainable energy issues took place in Astana, at Kazakhstan Energy Week.
The interest of Arab countries in the SCO structures is developing as the organization expands. Founded in 2001, it united Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. In 2017, India and Pakistan joined. In recent years, the SCO has started to grow again. In 2023, Iran became a member, and a year later, Belarus. By the way, Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have joined the category of dialogue partners. Algeria has also applied.
Why are Arab countries showing interest in the SCO
Today, the SCO covers about 60% of the territory of Eurasia, and more than 3.4 billion people live in the organization's countries — almost half of the world's population. The total GDP of the participants is over $23 trillion. These scales make the association a center of attraction for the states of the Middle East.
The desire of Arab countries to become more involved in the work of the SCO is explained by a number of factors. In the field of security, the region has been facing terrorism, sectarian conflicts and instability for decades. The SCO traditionally pays considerable attention to combating these problems by developing mechanisms for information exchange and joint exercises. The accession of the Arab States can strengthen the collective response capacity, especially given the issues of Afghanistan, to which the organization pays increased attention.
The economic background is equally important. In 2024, the volume of trade between China and the SCO countries alone reached $512.4 billion. A significant part of the import structure consists of energy resources — almost $90 billion, as well as agricultural products — $13.66 billion. Energy already accounts for about a fifth of Chinese imports, making the region a key strategic link.
Jordanian professor Hassan Abdullah al-Daja believes that participation in an organization in which Russia and China play a major role is seen as a way to reduce Western influence. The inclusion of such traditional US allies as Saudi Arabia and the UAE has become a clear signal to Washington that the region is reviewing its foreign policy guidelines. Moscow also positively assesses the growing participation of Arab countries: President Vladimir Putin has previously noted the organization's openness to new members.
Strengthening ties between the SCO and the Arab world goes beyond symbolic steps and turns into a strategy reflecting the trend towards the formation of a multipolar world, according to Saudi political analyst Mubarak Al-Aati.
— The organization, which includes a quarter of the global economy and over half of the world's population, provides the states of the Middle East with the opportunity to strengthen national security, expand economic ties and increase space for foreign policy maneuver. At the same time, the success of participation in this format will largely depend on the ability of Arab countries to build their own vision of interaction," the expert told Izvestia.
Against the background of global crises, the SCO is gradually becoming one of the key platforms on which the Arab states can rely in forming a more independent, sustainable and technologically oriented development strategy.
The growing participation of Arab countries in the organization opens up new opportunities, particularly for Russia. At a minimum, this will allow it to strengthen its international position, especially in the current difficult situation. The accession of the states of the Middle East, of course, increases the political weight of the SCO.
For Moscow, this is not only a diplomatic but also a practical gain: Arab countries have significant financial resources and a powerful energy base. Their participation will create another platform for coordinating joint projects in the energy, logistics and industry sectors. This expansion strengthens the Russian presence in the region.
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