Strength in Weakness: Eldaniz Gusseinov Analyzes the SCO’s Role as a Geopolitical “Safety Valve”
Nightingale Int. Head of Research, Eldaniz Gusseinov, has published a new analysis for the German policy journal Freiheit | Macht | Politik (FMP), offering a contrarian view on the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
In the article, titled “Weak Because It Is Strong: The SCO as a Geopolitical Safety Valve,” Eldaniz argues that Western observers often misunderstand the SCO by viewing it through the lens of a “NATO alternative.” Instead, he posits that the organization’s power lies precisely in its apparent weakness.
Key Insights:
- The Consensus Paradox: The SCO functions not as a monolithic bloc, but as a “safety valve” for Eurasian rivalries. Its strict consensus rules prevent domination by any single power, allowing historical rivals such as India and Pakistan to remain in the same room.
- From Security to Logistics: Eldaniz identifies a strategic pivot regarding Afghanistan. Once viewed primarily as a security threat, the SCO now frames the country as a vital transit corridor connecting Central Asia to South Asian markets, bypassing US-dominated sea routes.
- A “Normative Lab”: While the SCO struggles with hard economic integration (such as the delayed development bank), it is succeeding as a laboratory for a “post-Western order,” testing concepts like local currency settlements and digital customs processes to immunize supply chains against sanctions.
Eldaniz concludes that while the SCO is structurally “weak,” this flexibility makes it attractive to the Global South, allowing it to quietly set standards and shift geopolitical spaces.
About the Platform:
FMP is an interdisciplinary and intercultural online magazine covering German and European politics. It bridges the gap between the national daily press and academic journals, publishing content in both German and English.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the editorial team at FMP for the collaboration.
Read the full article (in German) at Freiheit | Macht | Politik