"Heads of the SCO countries' energy ministries considered and approved the 'Strategy for the Development of Energy Cooperation of the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Until 2030," it said after the SCO meeting in the Kazakh city of Almaty.
The Kazakhstan-sponsored plan identifies key areas for cooperation, such as energy transit, alternative export routes, the overhaul of traditional energy sources and efforts to strike a balance between fossil fuels and renewables.
Kazakhstan will host the next SCO summit from July 3-4. The Kazakh president said that the upcoming meeting would be held under the slogan of "Strengthening multilateral dialogue — striving for sustainable peace and development."
The SCO consists of India, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan. Afghanistan, Belarus and Mongolia are observer states; Azerbaijan, Armenia, Bahrain, Egypt, Cambodia, Qatar, Kuwait, the Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Sri Lanka are dialogue partners. Belarus will become a full-fledged SCO member in July.