2025 Dushanbe SCO Summit of Heads of State

The 2025 Dushanbe CIS Summit of Heads of State was held on 10 October 2025 in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, under the chairmanship of President Emomali Rahmon. The meeting, held at the Palace of the Nation in Dushanbe, brought together the leaders of the member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

The summit was attended by President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia, President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan, President Sadyr Japarov of Kyrgyzstan, President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation, President Serdar Berdimuhamedow of Turkmenistan, and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan. Additionally, CIS Secretary General Sergey Lebedev participated in the meeting.

The summit marked the conclusion of Tajikistan’s chairmanship of the CIS for 2025. At the conclusion of the meeting, it was decided that the 2026 CIS chairmanship would be transferred to Turkmenistan.

Pre-Summit Preparations and Bilateral Meetings

In the lead-up to the summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin held telephone consultations with the leaders of CIS member states. According to a statement from the Kremlin, these discussions focused on strengthening bilateral relations and preparing for the CIS Summit of Heads of State in Dushanbe. It was also indicated that the summit agenda would include the proposed “CIS Plus” format as a new cooperation mechanism.

Putin’s visit to Tajikistan also encompassed the Russia-Central Asia Summit held during the same period. During his visit, which began on 8 October 2025, Putin met with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon in Dushanbe. The talks addressed defense cooperation between the two countries, regional stability, and developments in Central Asia.

Within the framework of bilateral talks in Tajikistan, meetings also took place between the defense ministries of Russia and Tajikistan. Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov, during his meeting with his Tajik counterpart Emomali Sobirzoda, emphasized the importance of military cooperation between the two countries in preserving security and stability in Central Asia.

Additionally, Vladimir Putin met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev at the Kohi-Somon residence in Dushanbe as part of the summit. The discussion covered recent developments in bilateral relations, trade volume, and regional issues. Putin shared information on the investigation process regarding the 2024 AZAL airline crash and provided technical details on the causes of the incident.

Opening of the Summit and Statements by Participants

The CIS Summit of Heads of State opened on 10 October 2025 at the Palace of the Nation in Dushanbe under the chairmanship of Tajik President Emomali Rahmon. At the opening, Rahmon formally welcomed the visiting heads of state and their delegations, followed by a group photograph with the leaders.

In his opening address, Rahmon reviewed Tajikistan’s activities during its 2025 CIS chairmanship and noted that the events held during this period had strengthened organizational coordination. He emphasized that Tajikistan, in close cooperation with member states, had undertaken comprehensive work during its chairmanship, prioritizing the development of economic ties, digital integration, and humanitarian projects.

Following the opening, Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered a speech during the closed-session meeting. Putin stated that the CIS had maintained its position as a “regional and integrative organization” for over thirty years, becoming not merely a consultative platform but also a structure that fosters a common market and humanitarian cooperation. He announced that Russia’s trade volume with CIS countries had reached 112 billion US dollars in 2024, representing a 7 percent increase, and that 96 percent of this trade was conducted in national currencies.

In addition, Putin emphasized that joint efforts are ongoing not only in economic cooperation but also in security and humanitarian matters. He highlighted the importance of new cooperation documents developed in areas such as terrorism, extremism, corruption, and border security. Putin noted that they supported granting observer status to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the creation of the “BDT Plus” format.

At the opening of the meeting, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and other leaders also spoke, calling for cooperation on economic integration, energy security, and digital transformation. The general consensus among participants was in favor of diversifying economic relations within the BDT framework and maintaining regional security through collective approaches.

Main Agenda Items of the Meeting

The summit’s agenda prominently featured security, economy, energy, transportation, digital integration, and humanitarian cooperation. Discussions addressed enhancing information sharing and developing joint security mechanisms among member states, strengthening economic ties, expanding digital infrastructure, and reducing mutual dependence in the energy sector. During economic sessions, emphasis was placed on ensuring the continuity of energy supply, enhancing infrastructure resilience, and improving the efficient use of resources; member states reached agreement on protecting energy systems from cyber threats and strengthening new transportation corridors. Putin underscored the strategic importance of the “North-South” and “East-West” logistics routes in the context of modernizing Eurasian manufacturing chains. Cultural and humanitarian cooperation was also addressed on the agenda, with decisions made to support joint programs in sports, education, science, and culture. Putin described the “BDT Countries Games” to be held in Azerbaijan as an example of regional solidarity, while Rahmon emphasized that cultural activities conducted during Tajikistan’s presidency strengthened historical and spiritual ties among the peoples of member states.

Adopted Documents and Decisions

At the conclusion of the 2025 BDT Council of Heads of State meeting in Dushanbe, a total of 19 documents were signed. These documents encompass regulations covering the political, security, economic, and humanitarian dimensions of intra-organization cooperation. The list and content of the signed documents have been published by the Kremlin and BDT executive bodies. Among the decisions adopted are the following:

• Official establishment of the “BDT Plus” format: The new format aims to facilitate cooperation with states, international organizations, and regional blocs outside the BDT in areas of mutual interest. It was reported that this decision was proposed by Kazakhstan and adopted by consensus at the Tajik summit.
• Granting observer status to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) within the BDT framework: This decision was taken with the goal of enhancing cooperation between the two organizations in the fields of regional stability and security.
• Program to Combat Terrorism and Extremism for 2026–2028: This document aims to strengthen coordination among member states and includes provisions on information sharing, joint exercises, and legal harmonization.
• Border Security Program for 2026–2030: Measures were defined to protect external borders, enhance information exchange, and increase joint exercises.
• Military Cooperation Concept valid until 2030: This concept outlines coordination among armed forces in training, technical cooperation, and the military industry within the framework of common security principles.
• Regional Energy Security Declaration: The declaration aims to ensure stable energy supply, enhance the resilience of energy infrastructure, and promote efficient use of energy resources.
• Joint Declaration on Combating Transnational Crime: Member states agreed to enhance coordination in combating money laundering, terrorist financing, and illicit arms trafficking.
• Joint Declarations marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations and the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster: These documents commit member states to preserving historical memory and sustaining environmental cooperation.

The summit also decided to terminate the validity of several multilateral agreements signed in previous years. This decision was taken to simplify the normative framework within the organization.

Institutional Reforms and Appointments

At the 2025 BDT Council of Heads of State meeting in Dushanbe, several decisions were made regarding organizational structure and governance. By mutual agreement of member states, the term of office of BDT Secretary General Sergey Lebedev was extended by three years. This decision was adopted unanimously by member states. The meeting also decided to transfer the 2026 BDT presidency to Turkmenistan. Accordingly, the next BDT Council of Heads of State meeting is planned for October 2026 in Ashgabat.

Closing Ceremony and Awards

The 2025 Dushanbe BDT Council of Heads of State Meeting concluded with a closing ceremony and awards event following the completion of sessions. At the end of the meeting, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon was awarded the “Medal for Contribution to the Development of Humanitarian Cooperation”. The award was presented by the Inter-State Humanitarian Cooperation Fund (IFHC) in recognition of Rahmon’s contributions to regional cultural and humanitarian projects.

The medal was presented by Mikhail Shvydkoy, Co-Chair of the IFHC Board of Directors. In his brief speech at the ceremony, Rahmon accepted the award on behalf of the Tajik people and emphasized the importance of cultural cooperation among BDT countries.