Special services from 24 countries to gather in Samarkand to address new threats

4 November 2026, 12:32·45·Uzbekistan

On November 5-6, 2026, the ancient city of Samarkand will host another prestigious international conference — the first "SCO Plus" expert dialogue on security issues.

Taking place at a time when digital technologies are evolving rapidly on a global scale, this meeting will be dedicated to the main theme: "Security in the era of digital transformation: combating terrorism and extremism in light of the development of new technologies." The prestigious event will be chaired by Colonel-General B. Kurbanov, Chairman of the State Security Service of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

International recognition of the Tashkent initiative: From Astana to Samarkand

The initiative to establish this format was directly put forward by the leadership of Uzbekistan and moved to the practical stage in a short period:

Presidential initiative: The proposal to launch this new dialogue platform was first voiced by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev in 2024 at the SCO summit in Astana;
Tianjin agreement: In 2025, at the Council of Heads of Member States of the organization held in Tianjin, China, the choice of Samarkand as the venue for the first summit of the expert dialogue was unanimously approved.

Heads of 24 countries and special services: Who will participate?

The Samarkand dialogue is becoming one of the largest security platforms in the region in terms of its scale and the level of its participants:

Comprehensive delegations: It has been confirmed that 33 prestigious delegations from 24 countries of the world, as well as representatives of 5 international organizations, will attend the event;
Representatives of special services: The conference will bring together heads of intelligence and security agencies, industry experts, and honorary guests from SCO member states, observer countries, and dialogue partners at one table.

Artificial intelligence and risks in cyberspace: Key tasks on the agenda

The participants of the dialogue will discuss new forms of modern threats and develop a common strategy:

Use of artificial intelligence: The agenda will include a comprehensive review of the impact of advanced technologies, algorithms, and artificial intelligence tools on security systems and new types of risks;
Final document and priority areas: At the conclusion of the negotiations, the heads of the delegations will define future practical tasks for joint efforts in combating international terrorism, extremism, and cyberattacks in the context of digital transformation.

The Samarkand dialogue is expected to usher in a new era of coordinated actions in the field of digital security within the SCO framework.