Riyadh, 29 March 2023 (TDI): The Cabinet of Saudi Arabia has approved a decision to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). This strategic decision is a step towards building a long-term relationship with the member countries.
It is pertinent to note that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) approved a memorandum granting it the status of a dialogue partner in the SCO. The decision was reached when Chinese President Xi Jinping visited KSA in 2022.
The first step towards the inclusion of the Kingdom in the organization is through dialogue partnership and after that the Kingdom would be granted the status of full membership.
There is also an important development that has occurred where Saudi Aramco increased its multi-billion dollar investment in China and finalized a joint venture by acquiring a stake in a privately controlled petrochemical group in China.
Shanghai Cooperation Organization
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is a multilateral politico-strategic organization that almost includes important allies of China from Eurasia.
It was established by Russia, China, and Central Asian States in 2001. The aim behind the establishment of this organization was to create and maintain the balance of power against the influence of western countries in the Eurasian region.
Many important states such as Iran, India, and Pakistan also have achieved membership. The member countries of the organization are planning to hold a joint counter-terrorism exercise in Russia’s Chelyabinsk region in the coming August.
