OREANDA-NEWS Belarus expects to be actively involved in the work of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in a new status in the near future. This is stated in the congratulation of the President of the Republic Alexander Lukashenko to the SCO Secretary General Zhang Mingwu on the occasion of the 22nd anniversary of the organization's formation, the press service of the Belarusian leader reported.

"The Republic of Belarus is committed to the principles of the Shanghai Spirit and, I hope, in the very near future it will join all legal documents and actively participate in all formats of the SCO functioning in the new status," Lukashenko said. He stressed that the SCO has turned into a powerful multidisciplinary structure, has taken "a worthy place in the hierarchy of international organizations and has become a center of attraction for many Eurasian states." "The importance of the organization in modern conditions is only increasing," the congratulation reads.

The Head of State thanked the SCO Secretary General for his attentive and constructive attitude to cooperation with Belarus, for the work already done and ongoing work on the country's accession to the organization as a full member. Lukashenko also wished Zhang Ming successful work of the SCO to maintain peace, security and sustainable development of its members.

Belarus has had observer status with the organization since 2015. In 2022, the procedure for admission of the republic to the SCO membership has begun.