Yevgeny Sysoyev expressed confidence that the Counterterrorism Forum will add a new good chapter to the chronicle of SCO and CIS cooperation. «A clear signal will also be sent to partners, friends and colleagues from other countries and international organizations about our common aspiration to raise the level of interaction in the fight against terrorism and extremism, about the ongoing process of a multipolar world taking shape and strengthening Eurasian cooperation on the basis of mutual interests and understanding of common problems,» he noted.

The ATC chief also noted that the SCO and CIS states, the international organizations present at the conference, have enormous potential for further development and consolidation of efforts to counter terrorism and are capable of withstanding global and regional risks, traditional and new challenges and threats, and making a substantial contribution to ensuring security on the Eurasian continent. He also added that the conduct of the large-scale forum would have been impossible without the goodwill and political support of Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko.

«Our forum is taking place amid a complex international situation characterized by growing geopolitical uncertainty and an unprecedented rise in military and political tensions, which are provoking global economic and humanitarian crises. The leaders of our countries are taking measures to pool efforts to jointly overcome contradictions and de-escalate global tensions, and to localize current and potential challenges and threats,» Yevgeny Sysoyev emphasized.

As an example, he cited the decisions to establish the CIS+ and SCO+ formats, granting the Shanghai Cooperation Organization observer status at the Commonwealth of Independent States. «By integrating our capabilities and bringing our positions closer on pressing international issues, we are taking confident practical steps toward expanding the contour of our security, putting into practice the concept of the Greater Eurasian Partnership,» the CIS ATC chief said.

The two-day Counterterrorism Forum kicked off in Belarus on 7 October. The forum will be co-located with the 12th International Conference of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure and the 4th CIS Conference on Countering Terrorism and Extremism. Eurasia Antiterror 2026, the first joint exercise of the competent authorities of the CIS and SCO, is also planned.