About SCO

• Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a permanent intergovernmental international organisation established in 2001.
• It’s a Eurasian political, economic and military organisation aiming to maintain peace, security and stability in the region.
• Prior to the creation of SCO in 2001, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan were members of the Shanghai Five. 
• Following the accession of Uzbekistan to the organisation in 2001, the Shanghai Five was renamed the SCO.
• There are eight member states in the SCO at present. India and Pakistan became members in 2017. 
• The SCO Secretariat, based in Beijing, is the main permanent executive body of the SCO. 
• The organisation has two permanent bodies — 
  • the SCO Secretariat based in Beijing and 
  • the Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) based in Tashkent. RATS serves to promote cooperation of member states against the three evils of terrorism, separatism and extremism.

Objectives of the SCO

• To strengthen mutual trust among the neighbouring member states.
• To promote effective cooperation in various fields like economy, trade, politics, culture and research and technology.
• To ensure peace, prosperity, security and stability in the region, and
• To establish a democratic, fair and rational international eco-political order.

Why in News?

• The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s Council For Foreign Ministers (SCO-CFM) was recently held in Goa.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/pakistan-foreign-minister-a-promoter-spokesperson-of-terror-industry-jaishankar/article66817325.ece#:~:text=Calling%20Pakistan%20Foreign%20Minister%20Bilawal,continued%20support%20to%20terror%20groups.