(AseanAll) — The Lao PDR has officially become a Dialogue Partner of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two sides on July 10,2026.
On July 10, 2026, a ceremony was held at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Secretariat in Beijing to sign the Memorandum on granting the Lao People's Democratic Republic the status of SCO Dialogue Partner.
The Memorandum was signed on behalf of the SCO by Secretary-General Nurlan Yermekbayev, and on behalf of the Government of Laos by Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongsavan Phomvihane.
Prior to the signing ceremony, a bilateral meeting took place between the SCO Secretary-General and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Laos.
Nurlan Yermekbayev congratulated Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs on the formal conferment of Laos' status as an SCO Dialogue Partner and expressed confidence that Laos would actively engage in the implementation of the Organization's multifaceted agenda. The Secretary-General also briefed on current SCO matters and preparations for the flagship event – the Bishkek Summit of the Organization.
The Deputy Prime Minister, Lao Foreign Minister highly appreciated the role of the SCO on the international stage and emphasized that his country attaches great importance to cooperation within the framework of the Organization.
A productive exchange of views took place on upcoming joint steps aimed at implementing the Memorandum. The parties also touched upon the topic of cooperation between the SCO and ASEAN.
The ceremony was attended by the Permanent Representatives of SCO member states to the Secretariat, Ambassadors accredited in the People's Republic of China and representatives of the Embassies of SCO member states and SCO Dialogue Partner states, officials from the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the SCO Secretariat, as well as representatives of Chinese and foreign media.
Laos began exploring Dialogue Partner status in 2023. By Decision No. 13 of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO member states of July 4, 2024, the Roadmap for strengthening cooperation between SCO member states and SCO Dialogue Partners was approved.At the 2025 SCO Summit in China, member states approved the country's admission, paving the way for the formal signing of the agreement. Laos is now among 15 Dialogue Partners of the organization.
Established in 2001, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is a regional intergovernmental organization comprising 10 member states — Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; 2 observer states — Afghanistan and Mongolia; 15 dialogue partners – Azerbaijan, Armenia, Egypt, Cambodia, Qatar, Kuwait, Laos, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and f Sri Lanka.
