Novosti Armenia reports that according to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Armenia has officially applied for full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
Pashinyan reportedly emphasized that this move aligns with Armenia's goal of pursuing a balanced foreign policy. “We will continue working in this direction,” he added during a press conference in Yerevan.
Currently, Armenia holds the status of an observer state in the SCO. Back in early July, the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed the country's desire to become a full member, highlighting its commitment to the key principles of the SCO, such as territorial integrity, non-use of force, and inviolability of borders.
The SCO summit for heads of state is scheduled to take place in China at the end of August or early September 2025.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is a Eurasian political, economic, international security and defense organization of ten member states. It was established in 2001 by the People's Republic of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. In June 2017, it expanded to eight states, with India and Pakistan. Iran joined the group in July 2023 and Belarus in July 2024. Several countries are engaged as observers or dialogue partners.
It is the world's largest regional organization in terms of geographic scope and population, covering approximately 24% of the world's total area (65% of Eurasia) and 42% of the world population. As of 2024, its combined nominal GDP accounts for around 23%, while its GDP based on PPP comprises approximately 36% of the world's total.
The SCO currently has ten full members — China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, Pakistan, Iran and Belarus.
Observer nations: Mongolia, Afghanistan (inactive since September 2021), and Armenia.
SCO’s dialogue partners include Sri Lanka, Turkiye, Cambodia, Azerbaijan, Nepal, Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Maldives, United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain.
ACEAN, CIS, Turkmenistan and the United Nations are guest attendances.
