H.H. Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, departed for Astana, Kazakhstan to lead the UAE delegation to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, representing UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
UAE at the SCO Summit in Astana
The two-day summit, held July 3–4, 2024 in Astana, was convened under the theme "Strengthening Multilateral Dialogue — the Pursuit of Sustainable Peace and Development." The gathering brought together heads of state and government of SCO member countries, as well as representatives of regional and international institutions.
H.H. Sheikh Saud was accompanied by a high-level ministerial delegation that included Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure; Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy; Ahmed bin Ali Al Sayegh, Minister of State; and other senior officials.
UAE's Role as SCO Dialogue Partner
The UAE's participation at the Astana summit follows the SCO officially admitting the country as a "Dialogue Partner" during the organisation's meetings in India in 2023. The UAE signed a Memorandum of Understanding on its accession to the SCO as a Dialogue Partner at the Council of Foreign Ministers meeting held in Goa, India, in May 2023.
Upon arriving at Astana International Airport, H.H. Sheikh Saud was received by Zhaslan Madiyev, Kazakhstan's Minister of Digital Affairs, along with Mohamed Saeed Alariqi, the UAE Ambassador to Kazakhstan, and other officials.
About the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
Formally established on June 15, 2001 as a permanent intergovernmental organisation, the SCO aims to strengthen mutual trust, friendship, and good-neighbourly cooperation among member states. The organisation promotes collaboration across political, trade, economic, scientific, technological, cultural, educational, energy, transport, and environmental fields, with a focus on maintaining regional peace, security, and stability.
