By Samuel Ogunsona
The Republic of Belarus has joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) founded by China and Russia in 2001.
This was made official on Thursday after the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, and the Chinese President, Xi Jinping, among other SCO leaders signed an agreement to admit Belarus as the 10th member of the organization.
SCO which was founded as a political, economic and security organization aims at fostering cooperation and mutual trust among its members.
Other members include Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, Pakistan and Iran.
The bloc also have two other observer states, Afghanistan and Mongolia, and 14 dialogue partners including Türkiye.
However, Belarus has been a dialogue partner of the SCO since 2010 and an observer state since 2015. Its accession to full membership is a testament to the country’s commitment to strengthening ties with other SCO members and contributing to the organization’s goals.
Belarus, the Eastern European Country which is located at the center of Europe is expected to shape the organization’s future direction and priorities in the Eurasia region and also position the organization as a potential counterweight to Western-led institutions.
The SCO remains a significant player in the region, and Belarus’s membership is likely to strengthen the organization’s position.