On 20-21 November 2025, Tashkent hosted the Eleventh International Scientific and Practical Conference of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO RATS), titled “Preventing the spread of terrorism, separatism and extremism: eliminating root causes”.

This prestigious event brought together a distinguished group of representatives from the competent authorities of SCO member states and delegates from SCO partner countries.

The conference was also attended by experts from the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, Interpol, and the executive structures of the CIS and CSTO, as well as the SCO Secretariat and CICA, the Eurasian Group on Combating Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism, and other relevant international organizations and research institutions.

During the forum, participants discussed trends and specific aspects of the evolving challenges and threats in the region, the SCO’s role in countering terrorism, separatism, and extremism, and national and regional mechanisms for addressing these issues. An analysis of cooperation and coordination among member and partner states in combating terrorism, separatism, and extremism was conducted, and recommendations were provided to improve regional cooperation mechanisms in this sphere.

Experts exchanged views on global trends and the evolving threats posed by terrorism, separatism, and extremism, and proposed effective international mechanisms to address them. They identified key areas for aligning global and regional efforts to enhance and effectively utilize international cooperation mechanisms in combating terrorism, separatism, and extremism.

The parties also shared their experience in international cooperation on countering money laundering and the financing of terrorism. They emphasized the relevance and importance of the SCO RATS scientific and practical conference as a platform for holding productive annual expert meetings, exchanging valuable experience in combating terrorism, separatism, and extremism, developing shared understandings and assessments of security challenges and threats, identifying effective countermeasures, and strengthening anti-terrorism cooperation and relations of trust and mutual understanding at both the international and regional levels.

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G. Khonnazarov, photos by N. Khaydarov, UzA