The 24th Summit of the Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has today kicked off in Astana, Kazinform News Agency reports.

Presidents and heads of government of Kazakhstan, Iran, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Belarus, Mongolia, Azerbaijan, Qatar, Türkiye, and Turkmenistan, Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, Minister of External Affairs of India, SCO Secretary-General and Director of the SCO RATS Executive Committee are taking part in the event.

UN Secretary-General and heads of such international organizations as the CIS, ECO, CICA, CSTO, EEC and IOFS also joined the summit.

The Astana Declaration, 20 decisions and three statements of the heads of state, including the initiative “On World Unity for Just Peace and Harmony” and “On Improvement of the SCO” and the completion of the procedure on accession of Belarus to the SCO will be approved during the Summit.

The heads of state are expected to discuss a wide range of issues promoting further strengthening of multilateral cooperation within the SCO, its perspectives and solution of pressing international and regional problems.

The SCO+ meeting will be held in an extended format and will be titled as "World Unity for a Just Peace, Harmony and Development."