On March 17 of this year, SCO Secretary General Zhang Ming spoke at the plenary session of the VI St. Petersburg International Labor Forum, organized by the Ministry of Labor and Social Development of Russia and the Government of St. Petersburg.

He drew attention to the fact that the current Forum is taking place against the background of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which is superimposed by the worsening destabilization of the international situation, the strengthening of uncertainty factors in the development of events in the world. In such circumstances, the agenda of the Forum becomes particularly relevant.

Zhang Ming emphasized that the SCO member states have demonstrated a high level of solidarity and mutual assistance in the fight against coronavirus infection in the SCO space. In particular, China and Russia have launched active humanitarian mutual assistance, sharing medicines and medical techniques with partners in the Organization, transferring technology for the production of vaccines and other medicines.

The Secretary General dwelt separately on the issues of the SCO youth policy, stressing that the younger generation is our common future, the driving force of development and progress. The Organization implements a set of programs and agreements, social and humanitarian projects aimed at ensuring a high level of education for young people, full identification of their creative and intellectual potential, protecting young people from the harmful influence of terrorist, separatist and extremist ideology, their active involvement in creating a decent future, he noted.

We are witnesses, direct participants and architects of changes in world politics, which necessitates the activation of intellectual exchanges, the consolidation of common wisdom, the formation of a common understanding of the problems facing humanity. I see this as the main importance of the current forum, Zhang Ming summed up.

Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation T.A. Golikova, Minister of Labor and Social Protection of Russia A.O. Kotyakov, Governor of St. Petersburg A.D. Beglov, heads of trade unions, migration organizations and social protection services also spoke at the plenary session of the Forum.

The work of the Forum, during which more than 50 thematic discussions, specialized discussions and specialized events were organized, ended on March 18 this year.