It’s good to see countries in the Global South and Eurasia pushing for more economic cooperation and alternatives to a one‑size‑fits‑all world order — development, connectivity and diplomacy matter. But we shouldn’t pretend big infrastructure deals and talk of “eternal” treaties are value‑neutral: when projects are driven by opaque deals, weak oversight and partnerships with authoritarian regimes, they too often lock countries into debt, environmental damage, and shrinking civic space. If the SCO wants to be a genuine force for sustainable development, it must pair investment with strong transparency, independent environmental and social safeguards, debt‑sustainability checks, labor and women’s rights protections, and room for civil society and free media. Equally, summits can’t paper over the human costs of wars or be used to normalize aggression; true stability comes from diplomacy, accountability and respect for international law. So yes to cooperation and more balanced global relationships — but only if they’re built on democratic norms, climate responsibility and real accountability, not just geostrategic posturing. 🙂