<h4>Origins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)</h4><p>The <strong>Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)</strong> traces its roots back to the <strong>“Shanghai Five”</strong> group.</p><p>This initial grouping was formed in <strong>1996</strong> and comprised <strong>China</strong>, <strong>Russia</strong>, <strong>Kazakhstan</strong>, <strong>Kyrgyzstan</strong>, and <strong>Tajikistan</strong>.</p><div class='info-box'><p><strong>Initial Purpose:</strong> The "Shanghai Five" was primarily established to address concerns regarding <strong>extremist religious groups</strong> and <strong>ethnic tensions</strong> in the region following the <strong>dissolution of the USSR in 1991</strong>.</p></div><h4>Establishment and Expansion of the SCO</h4><p>The <strong>Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)</strong> was formally established on <strong>June 15, 2001</strong>, in <strong>Shanghai</strong>.</p><p>During its establishment, <strong>Uzbekistan</strong> joined the original five members, expanding the group to six states.</p><div class='info-box'><p><strong>Membership Evolution:</strong> Before the recent inclusion of <strong>Belarus</strong>, the SCO had <strong>nine full members</strong>:</p><ul><li><strong>India</strong></li><li><strong>Iran</strong></li><li><strong>Kazakhstan</strong></li><li><strong>China</strong></li><li><strong>Kyrgyzstan</strong></li><li><strong>Pakistan</strong></li><li><strong>Russia</strong></li><li><strong>Tajikistan</strong></li><li><strong>Uzbekistan</strong></li></ul></div><p>Additionally, <strong>Afghanistan</strong> and <strong>Mongolia</strong> currently hold <strong>Observer Status</strong> within the organisation.</p><div class='key-point-box'><p>The SCO represents a significant regional bloc focused on <strong>security, economic, and political cooperation</strong> across Eurasia.</p></div>