The Heads of State summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is taking place in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek this year from June 13 to 14. As the SCO represents over 40 percent of the world's population, the regional organization has a lot of potential to make an impact. 

This year, one of the key topics on the agenda is, undoubtedly, security. During the SCO summit, member states will focus on strategies to combat regional security issues, as they intend to enhance joint security efforts to crack down on the three forces of "terrorism, extremism, and separatism." 

A dialogue partner of the SCO, Sri Lanka suffered major terrorist attacks during church bombings in April this year in which over 250 people were killed. The SCO hopes to boost cooperation to prevent such attacks.

When it comes to security, China and Kyrgyzstan have already been cooperating closely and Kyrgyzstan has recently implemented a project on public security with China's support. 

Kyrgyz police have established new police command centers to increase security in the Kyrgyz capital. This new system "allows us to install more than 4,000 cameras for outdoor surveillance in the city. This will monitor the security of public places in the city of Bishkek, especially the most crowded areas," said Bakyt Dubanayev, head of the Department of Reforming at the Interior Ministry of the Kyrgyz Republic. 

Another issue concerning security is related to the Middle East.   

As progress is being made in defeating terrorist organizations such as ISIL, terrorists trying to return to their original countries and Asian countries pose a threat to the region in general.  

Security experts such as Indira Aslanova at the Research Center for religious studies point out that governments need to deal closely with these returnees. 

Aslanova stresses that rehabilitation programs should be a priority and "one of the important tasks that stand before the state and society in terms of countering extremism, in my view, is reintegration and rehabilitation of the people who have been in a war zone. This includes not only the people who relate to extremism, but the ones who have been involved in hostilities as well. For instance, family members, wives, children who were born there."

SCO has a permanent organ dealing with security called the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS). China and Kyrgyzstan have previously held joint border-exercises such as drills simulating explosions and weapons smuggling to help train military forces. SCO member states are also expected to hold anti-terrorist exercises in 2019. 

In earlier remarks, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for SCO members to "pursue common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security."  

"We should reject the Cold War mentality and confrontation between blocs and oppose the practices of seeking absolute security of oneself at the expense of others, so as to achieve security of all," said President Xi. 

The SCO Heads of State will be discussing ways to achieve these goals during the summit in Bishkek. Meanwhile, steps in line with this vision have been taken this year as the SCO's RATS has signed a memorandum of understanding with the UN's Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate to increase strategic cooperation.