SCO - A Tide Bringer for the Region?

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) covering the three-fifth of Eurasian landmass aims to preserve sovereignty, territorial integrity, and promoting equality among the member states. It follows a rule of non-interference in internal affairs and refrains from the use of force.

Member States

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) covers a vast tapestry of cooperating areas including economy, security, transport, culture, disaster management and law enforcement. SCO comprises the eight countries enjoying the status of full membership including Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, while four states hold the status of observer states including Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, and Mongolia. Similarly, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Cambodia, Turkey, Nepal, and Sri Lanka relish the dialogue partner status.

SCO’s Scope in the Eurasian Space

The emergence of regionalization as a tool to achieve the new forms of interactions among the states has become a significant part of the global order. The diversification in promoting regionalization is resulting in the formation of supranational systems. It is also creating flexible models of cooperation proceeding at different paces, and different levels.

Eurasia has played a crucial role on the geopolitical chessboard for many centuries. The evolution of pivots, and heartland has made the Eurasian landmass a center of the globe. In reference to this, Zbigniew Brzezinski, a Polish American diplomat and political scientist, states that; “Eurasia is thus the chessboard on which the struggle of global primacy continues to be played.”

Comprised of eight member states SCO is acting as a cornerstone in the Eurasian landmass. The organization’s structure stretches from the Arctic in the North to the Indian Ocean in the South and from China in the East to Russia in the West.

SCO has remained a seminal example of the interstate regional partnership in the Eurasian region. Since its establishment in 2001, it aimed to ensure regional stability and security. This is continued till day in the form of multifaceted cooperation. SCO functions on the principle of solving the pressing regional problems to ensure the promotion of regionalism. Despite the skepticism, SCO has potential with its unique parameters regarding future development.

SCO Model of Cooperation

SCO’s model of cooperation is based upon the idea of multilateralism, this depicts that these partnerships are distinct from the traditional political-military alliances which involves a high level of political interdependence. Hence, SCO is not an example of an economic integration in which the states delegate their significant portions of sovereign privileges to the supranational bodies.

The resilience of SCO depends upon the member states to identify the zones and areas of the converging interests which further prevents conflict and hostility. Undoubtedly, Eurasia possesses the system of regional interactions based upon the principles embedded in the SCO’s charter.

The success of the Platform was observed in the SCO summit held at Astana in 2017 when the two archrival states Pakistan and India occupied with deep-seated regional rivalry acceded to SCO as a fully-fledged member. Both countries committed to strengthen and consolidate the cooperation under the umbrella of SCO. Further, SCO brought four nuclear powers of China, Russia, Pakistan, and India on the SCO forum. This made the organization a supporting element in promoting global strategic stability.

Security And Economics

The dawn of 9/11 changed the security dynamics by the emergence of non-traditional security mosaics including transnational terrorism, religious extremism, drug trafficking and the emergence of transboundary criminal networks. A significant degree of security cooperation in the region will enhance the functioning of trade and economic cooperation, Therefore SCO prioritized regional security cooperation as a foremost priority. However, it is still difficult to find a common ground for the economic interests of the member states as compared to the security interests. Therefore, the area remains an arena for future efforts rather than a practical reality.

Undoubtedly, SCO member states hold a huge market comprised of mineral reservoirs, stable industrial base which is necessary for flourishing trade and economic cooperation. Moreover, the SCO members are also signatory of multiple international agreements regarding; banking and financing and promoting the business, Agriculture, and tourism. Furthermore, SCO is also considering the establishment of the SCO Development Bank and special account to assist and ensure the provision of financial support regarding different projects.

The accession of Pakistan and India has increased the scope of the SCO as the world largest trans-regional organization in rapports of area, population, and economic prospects. Moreover, this accession has also contributed to the increase of organizational influence and authority in the region, and the world. Similarly, while viewing the concrete economic terms SCO makes one-fourth of the Global GDP with a recorded average rise of 4.84% in 2016. The SCO members have increased their gold and foreign exchange reserves accounting for $4 trillion USD. This shows the increasing influence and relevance of SCO on the global stage.

SCO and Greater Eurasia

The complex relationship among the SCO member states residing on the Eurasian landmass; will determine the fate of the region in the coming years. The term ‘Eurasian Design’ refers to establish a new system aiming at regional interaction based on the objectives and principles of the Eurasian Economic Union’s framework, the execution of the massive Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and establishing greater cooperation including the ASEAN countries. However, given the nature of the cooperation, the political coordination and finding a common ground for the national interests; will determine the strategies and steps for the joint activities among the states.

Challenges

There exist multiple challenges including the geopolitical competition among Russia and China in Central Asia. The competing and conflicting claims on the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and One Belt One Road (OBOR) makes the economic interests of the two states odd. Moreover, the efficacy loss of SCO due to its expansion had also made the structure more complicated. This is observed in the Indo-Pak rivalry; that will, affect the organization’s effective functioning.

Great Powers Factor in Afghanistan

Lastly, war-torn Afghanistan contributes to the diabatization in the region which further halts the prospects for economic cooperation. SCO is more likely to focus on trade, economy, and security in the Eurasian region. Nevertheless, the geographical proximity of Afghanistan to Central Asia will compel the states for bilateral engagements with Afghanistan. However, SCO will not play its effective role in Afghanistan due to its own limitations and contradictions. Similarly, the absence of Afghanistan from the SCO does not provide the organization with enough grounds to play any significant role in the country.

SCO – A Tide Bringer or not?

SCO has prioritized regional security cooperation. Although, it still lacks the mechanism to meet the economic interests of the members’ states. Therefore, there exist no practical mechanism to ensure the economic interests of the member states. Similarly, the regional rivalry between Pakistan and India and the conflicting claims between Russia and China are also a challenge for the SCO to act as a tide bringer in the region.

Conclusion

SCO as a seminal illustration of the interstate regional partnership continues to find the prospects of common grounds; to promote the interaction among the states. However, it is difficult to harmonize or find a common ground for the economic interests of the member states. Moreover, the challenges of the Sino-Russian competing and conflicting claims in Central Asia, Indo-Pak deep-seated rivalry will affect the successful functioning of the organization. Similarly, Afghanistan continues to be a destabilizing factor in the region. The lack of multilateral engagement limits the SCO to play any effective role in Afghanistan. Nonetheless, the quest continues for the reforms, agenda-setting and launch of integration process within SCO.