Editor's note: Hamzah Rifaat Hussain, a former visiting fellow at the Stimson Center in Washington and former assistant researcher at the Islamabad Policy Research Institute, is a TV anchor at Indus News in Pakistan. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily those of CGTN.

The Samarkand Declaration of 2022 issued by member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization at the end of the SCO summit on September 16 in Uzbekistan provides important takeaways for the international community. The SCO states oppose coercion against other UN member states and call for eschewing brazen interference in sovereign affairs. The declaration also mentions that the SCO is open to broader cooperation with UN member states in accordance with the principles of the UN and SCO charter with international law as the bedrock to resolve outstanding regional and global issues. Its comprehensive nature sets an ideal precedent for a more just and stable world order.

Member states made it clear that the SCO stands against unilateral attempts to change the status quo of global peace, which includes intervention carried out against another UN member state on the pretext of countering terrorism or extremism. It is considered inadmissible that the sovereignty of any state is violated. This unequivocal message carries significance given that the region has witnessed decades of turmoil in countries such as Afghanistan with terrorism posing an existential threat to regional stability in 2022. Note that the SCO member states called for an inclusive, united, democratic and independent Afghanistan, free from drugs, terrorism and crime in the declaration and opted for countering terrorism by capitalizing on the results of the SCO Defense Ministers' Meeting in August 2022, which involves joint military and terrorism drills. Instead of promoting skepticism, SCO member states also endeavor to defeat the scourge of terrorism by implementing programs such as the Cooperation of the SCO member states in Countering Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism for 2022-2024.

Alongside countering terrorism through joint collaborations, the Samarkand Declaration also advocates for adopting indiscriminate approaches toward all UN member states, which is critical for global peace. Attempts at undermining the Iran nuclear deal, that is to be implemented under UN Security Council Resolution 2231, for example, are considered catastrophic for regional peace and detrimental to the goals of non-proliferation. Participant states of the nuclear deal are urged to fulfill obligations and ensure that nuclear proliferation is prevented by lifting sanctions on Iran as a SCO and UN member state. Refraining from taking responsibility or causing disruptions to the implementation process of the deal must be replaced with respecting Iran's genuine concerns and treating it as a genuine stakeholder for peace to prevail.

Another important aspect of the Samarkand Declaration is handling the misuse of the information technology (IT), which is key for national and global development. SCO member states unequivocally stand against the militarization of the global IT sector, which can breed transnational crimes and promote greater misunderstandings between different countries. To tackle the misuse of IT, member states welcomed the development of a comprehensive international convention under the auspices of the UN on combating the use of IT for criminal purposes. The message from the declaration is that multilateral efforts must be geared toward combating international cyber-crimes, sabotage, disruptions, harmful surveillance and espionage through IT, which harms global security.  

The SCO member states also considered the global trend of building up missile defense systems to have a negative impact on international peace and security. The declaration urged the international community to fully implement the Chemical Weapons Convention, which prohibits the development, production, stockpiling and usage of chemical weapons for non-proliferation and arms control. The destruction of stockpiles of chemical weapons plays a key role to mitigate existing threats to local populations and preventing humanitarian crises from taking hold. This approach toward combating offensive military doctrines underlines the SCO's commitment toward humanitarianism, rule of law and respect for international conventions.

The Samarkand Declaration 2022 demonstrates that a unified voice against terrorism, advocacy for the development of Afghanistan, promotion of multilateral principles, strengthening non-proliferation and upholding international law is the key for a more stable and just world order.

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