Cabinet gives ex-post facto nod for SCO agreement

• The Union Cabinet accorded an ex post facto approval for signing and ratifying an agreement on cooperation in the field of mass media between all member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
• It said the agreement, which was signed in June, 2019, would provide an opportunity to the member states to share best practices and new innovations in the field of mass media.

• The objective of this agreement is to promote equitable and mutually beneficial cooperation among associations in the field of mass media.

• Mass media refers to a diverse array of media technologies that reach a large audience via mass communication

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)

• It is a permanent intergovernmental international organization.
• It is a Eurasian political, economic, and security alliance and has been the primary security pillar of the region.
• It was established in 2001.

The Head of State Council (HSC) is the highest decision-making body in the SCO.

• It meets once a year and takes decisions and guidelines on all important matters of the organization.

The organization has two permanent bodies:

1. SCO Secretariat located in Beijing.
2. Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS), based in Tashkent.

Membership:

1. Eight member countries: India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
2. Four observer states Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, and Mongolia."