INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Afghanistans Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that Zhao Xing, Chinas ambassador to Kabul, has extended an invitation to an Afghan
delegation to participate in this years Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit.
The invitation was extended during a meeting with
Mohammad Naeem, the Deputy Minister for Finance and Administration of the Afghan Foreign Ministry.
In a statement released on Sunday, the
ministry noted Chinas interest in expanding bilateral cooperation.
The statement quoted Zhao as saying that China, as Afghanistans close
neighbor, places great importance on strengthening its relationship with Afghanistan and is ready to take further steps toward developing
ties between the two countries.
During the meeting, Naeem emphasized the importance of neighborly relations, saying:
Afghanistan and China
are neighboring countries, and maintaining positive relations between neighbors is essential for both sides.
The Islamic Emirate was not
invited to the SCO summit held in Islamabad on October 1516, 2024.
Reports indicate that Afghanistans membership in the Shanghai
Cooperation Organization has been inactive since September 2021
Afghanistan became an observer member of the SCO on June 7, 2012, but has not actively participated in the organizations activities since
joining.
The 25th SCO Summit is scheduled to be held in China in the second half of this year.
The summit will offer a platform for
discussions on key issues including food security, energy, the environment, and the fight against terrorism.
The Shanghai Cooperation
Organization, which represents 25% of global GDP and 40% of the worlds population, plays a key role in fostering economic, trade, and
security cooperation among its member states.
In addition to the leaders summit, more than 40 related meetings of SCO mechanisms are
expected to take place in China throughout the year.
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