Dmitry Mezentsev: SCO, UN ESCAP to sign memorandum of cooperation this year

A new memorandum of cooperation between the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) will be drafted and signed by the end of this year, SCO Secretary-General Dmitry Mezentsev said.

According to Mr Mezentsev, this issue was discussed at a meeting of SCO delegation with Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of UN ESCAP Shamshad Akhtar. The document is to remain in effect from 2016 to 2018.

"We want to put together a more meaningful memorandum, incorporating the provisions contained in the SCO-UN cooperation resolution adopted in November 2014 at the 69th session of the General Assembly," SCO Secretary-General said.

The two organisations have built up highly productive cooperation, Mr Mezentsev noted, in particular in the transportation sector. "The commission experts have provided valuable assistance to us in the preparation of the Agreement among the governments of the SCO member states on road transportation facilitation. The document is part of the bigger effort to create a global transport corridor from East China to Western Europe," he stressed.