The first SCO Plus expert dialogue on security concluded in Samarkand on November 6. According to the press service of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, the event brought together more than 180 representatives of special services and international organisations from 24 countries.
The meeting involved 33 delegations representing SCO member states, observer states and dialogue partners, along with five international organisations. Held as a plenary session, it was devoted to “Security in the Age of Digital Transformation: Countering Terrorism and Extremism in View of the Development of New Technologies.”
In an address to participants, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev stressed the importance of information security, protecting critical infrastructure and strengthening states’ resilience to new forms of destructive influence. In his assessment, digital technologies create additional opportunities for development while also producing new vulnerabilities that require a joint response.
Delegates reviewed national experience in countering terrorist activity, discussed mechanisms for international cooperation and considered tools to prevent the spread of extremism and radicalism in the digital space. Particular attention was given to the potential use of artificial intelligence, digital platforms and other technological tools for terrorist propaganda, recruitment of supporters and coordination of unlawful activity.
Participants noted that the SCO Plus format can help align expert approaches, exchange practical experience and develop joint security recommendations. At the end of the meeting, heads of delegations adopted a Joint Communiqué proposing research into how new technologies affect the nature of terrorist threats, reviews of effective preventive practices, and thematic seminars and professional development programmes.
