Afghanistan will not be participating in the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit scheduled for October 15 and 16 in Islamabad, as it did not receive an invitation from the SCO Secretariat.
This absence highlights Afghanistan’s current position within the organization, where it is classified as an observer state rather than a full member. Diplomatic sources have noted that Afghanistan’s participation in the SCO has been inactive since September 2021. The country became an SCO observer on June 7, 2012, but has not engaged actively since its membership status was affected.
While Pakistan is set to host leaders from various nations and approximately 200 delegations at the summit, the Taliban-led administration in Afghanistan has yet to acknowledge several terms of the SCO-Afghan agreement, which is crucial for the recognition of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. In contrast to Afghanistan, Mongolia has received an invitation to attend the summit as an observer state.
The SCO continues to focus on enhancing regional cooperation and security, with significant participation anticipated at the forthcoming meeting.
