Afghanistan’s SCO participation blocked over one member’s objection, Kabulov says

Afghanistan is unable to fully participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) due to objections from one of the organization’s member states, according to Russian Presidential Special Envoy Zamir Kabulov.

Kabulov told Izvestia newspaper that Afghanistan remains formally an SCO observer, but its participation in the organization’s work has been largely frozen since the Islamic Emirate came to power. He said full participation requires consensus among all SCO members, and that such agreement has not yet been reached.

Kabulov did not name any specific country, stating only that one member state is preventing Afghanistan’s full integration into the organization. However, the report notes that experts believe Pakistan is the country most likely to be behind the objection, particularly given ongoing tensions between Kabul and Islamabad.

The Izvestia report highlights that relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan have deteriorated in recent years, including cross-Durand Line clashes and mutual accusations over militant activity. These tensions are seen as a key factor complicating regional cooperation within the SCO framework.

The article also notes that the SCO continues to face structural challenges, including unclear membership categories such as observers and dialogue partners, which have created bureaucratic delays and complications. As a result, Afghanistan remains in a “limbo” status within the organization.

Kabulov added that Russia is attempting to help stabilize the situation, and said representatives of the Islamic Emirate are expected to participate in upcoming meetings of the Moscow Format on Afghanistan.

The report concludes that while SCO members cooperate on regional security issues, the organization’s consensus-based structure limits its ability to resolve internal disputes or fully integrate Afghanistan at this stage.