Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 5 June 2025, the 21st meeting of the Council of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Interbank Association (SCO IA) was held in Beijing under the chairmanship of Zhao Huang, Chairman of the Board of the China Development Bank.

During the meeting, participants welcomed the accession of Belarusbank Savings Bank JSC as a new member of the Association.

The parties exchanged experiences and best practices in the financial sector, implemented within the frameworks of their national development strategies. Special attention was given to prospects for deepening interbank cooperation and improving mechanisms for economic collaboration to strengthen the resilience and security of the financial systems of SCO member states.

Suhail Khan, Deputy Secretary-General of the SCO, who participated in the meeting, highly praised the initiatives of the presiding party aimed at expanding partnerships in the banking, financial, and investment sectors. He emphasized the importance of increasing the share of national currencies in mutual settlements, promoting responsible financing, enhancing corporate governance, and activating practical cooperation, including the introduction of incentives and the launch of financing mechanisms for joint projects.

Among the near-term priorities, the advisability of involving the Interbank Association and the SCO Business Council in developing an institutional mechanism to support the Organization’s project activities was noted.

Following the meeting, the chairmanship of the SCO Interbank Association Council for the period from October 2025 to October 2026 officially passed to the Kyrgyz Republic, represented by Eldik Bank JSC.

The meeting’s results were documented in a signed final protocol.

The SCO Interbank Association, established on the basis of the Interbank Cooperation Agreement dated October 26, 2005, serves as a key instrument for financing and banking support of investment projects implemented within the priority areas of cooperation and supported by the governments of the SCO member states. The China Development Bank currently holds the chairmanship of the Association for 2024–2025.