Russia: SCO to focus on combatting terrorism, drug trafficking - General Secretary

Talks between leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states will focus on combatting terrorism, separatism and drug trafficking, SCO General Secretary Dmitri Mezentsev said at a briefing in Ufa, Friday. Leaders of the SCO countries are expected to adopt the SCO Development Strategy towards 2025 and the Ufa Declaration at the summit. There are also plans to sign an intergovernmental agreement on border cooperation. The 15th meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) takes place on July 9 and 10 in Ufa and coincides with a meeting of the BRICS leaders. Leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa have been discussing further cooperation between the countries of the bloc, namely within the context of the newly-formed New Development Bank (NDB).