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Shanghai Cooperation Organization

17-09-2022

Summits and Organisations Prelims Plus

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Why is in news? Varanasi nominated as first-ever SCO Tourism and Cultural Capital

Varanasi has been nominated as the first-ever Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Tourism and Cultural Capital during the period 2022-2023 at the 22nd Meeting of SCO Council of Heads of State in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
The nomination of Varanasi as the first ever SCO Tourism and Cultural Capital will promote tourism, cultural and humanitarian exchanges between India and the SCO member Countries.
It also underlines country's ancient civilizational links with Member States of SCO especially the Central Asian Republics.
SCO: The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a Eurasian political, economic and security organization.
In terms of geographic scope and population, it is the world's largest regional organization, covering approximately 60% of the area of Eurasia, 40% of the world population, and more than 30% of global GDP.
The SCO is the successor to the Shanghai Five, a mutual security agreement formed in 1996 between the People's Republic of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan.
The SCO is governed by the Heads of State Council (HSC), its supreme decision-making body, which meets once a year.
Members: China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, Pakistan. Observers: Afghanistan, Belarus, Mongolia. Dialogue partners: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Egypt, Nepal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Turkey.