Afghanistan Excluded Again as SCO Summit Convenes in Moscow

The two-day summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Heads of State was held in Moscow.

Although Afghanistan has been an observer member of the SCO since 2012, once again, no representative from the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan was present at this regional summit.

The absence of an Islamic Emirate representative comes as political and economic analysts believe participation in SCO meetings could be important for Afghanistan in terms of security, economy, transit, investment, and diplomatic relations.

Abdul Zuhor Mudabber, an economic affairs expert, said: “Afghanistan can play a significant role in the SCO, particularly by serving as a major transit corridor for Central and South Asian countries.”

The summit was chaired by the Russian Prime Minister and attended by member states including India, Pakistan, and China.

Economic, trade, investment, cultural, and humanitarian cooperation were among the key topics discussed.

Although Russia’s special envoy for Afghanistan had previously emphasized that Afghanistan would be invited to all Russia-hosted meetings, the reason for the absence of the Islamic Emirate’s representative at this summit remains unclear.

Najiburrahman Shamal, an international relations expert, said: “The Shanghai Cooperation Organization, consisting of major regional powers and influential in political and economic matters, regularly discusses Afghanistan in its meetings. However, due to the lack of recognition of the Islamic Emirate by most SCO member states, Afghanistan was not invited.”

This comes as the SCO summit held on July 16, 2025 in Tianjin, China, also included discussions on developments in Afghanistan.