Digital SCO: Kyrgyzstan brings media leaders together to combat disinformation and share content
Issyk Kul, three plenary sessions, media digitalisation, AI in journalism and a unified information space. SCO Deputy Secretary General: "Media organisations are already exchanging content." Iran: "Time to counter politically motivated campaigns." Kyrgyzstan: "There is much to learn from China."
As reported by CCTV+, representatives of member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) have called for strengthening media cooperation in the context of digital transformation at a forum held on Friday in Kyrgyzstan. The forum, organised by Kyrgyzstan's Ministry of Culture, Information, Sport and Youth Policy in the Issyk Kul region, aimed to deepen media cooperation, strengthen information partnerships and promote professional dialogue amid rapid digital transformation of the media industry.
Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Ulan Mamatkanov noted in his speech that the forum would help consolidate the efforts of SCO member states in countering information security threats, combating disinformation and addressing other challenges of the digital age.
SCO Deputy Secretary General Oleg Kopylov stressed the growing role of information in international relations and the importance of actively disseminating reliable information, noting that the SCO Secretariat continues to support the organisation's information work through its official website and social media. "These forums promote direct dialogue and exchange of views between industry professionals. This is very important. Currently, media organisations in SCO member states have established links and, to a certain extent, are engaged in content exchange," Kopylov said.
Alireza Miryousefi, Director General of the Foreign Media Department of Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that media organisations in SCO member states should strengthen cooperation to share professional experience, disseminate verified information, counter politically motivated disinformation campaigns and improve media literacy.
Azamat Kasymbekov, Chairman of the Independent Union of Journalists of Kyrgyzstan, said that a unified platform should be created to facilitate content exchange. "We should exchange mutual delegations, hold more media forums like this, and create a unified information space so that we can share information, data and much more. China has extensive experience in implementing large scale projects, and there is much to learn from it. I believe enormous opportunities for cooperation lie ahead," he said.
The forum brought together government representatives, leading media outlets, digital platforms and experts from across the SCO, and featured three plenary sessions on media digitalisation, the use of AI in journalism and the growing influence of digital platforms. Participants also discussed emerging challenges in the information sphere and prospects for future joint media projects.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) brings together nine member states, including China, Russia, India, Pakistan and Central Asian countries. The Issyk Kul media forum is part of efforts to strengthen information sovereignty and counter disinformation. Digital media transformation and the use of AI in journalism are becoming key topics for member states. Kyrgyzstan, as the host country, emphasises the importance of regional cooperation in the media sphere.
When digital noise drowns out voices and disinformation becomes a weapon, a media forum on the shores of Issyk Kul becomes a quiet harbour for professionals. The SCO brings journalists, officials and experts together not for protocol speeches, but to learn how to tell truth from fiction in the age of artificial intelligence. China's experience, Iran's vigilance, Kyrgyzstan's ambitions — all are woven into a single knot where reliable information is the highest value. And while digital platforms reshape the rules, the old principle remains: information tested by time and trust is worth more than any algorithm.
