ASTANA, July 4. /TASS/. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced the admission of Belarus to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on Thursday.

"The admission of the Republic of Belarus to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization as a full-fledged member is now effective," Tokayev said after documents to admit the republic as the organization’s 10th member had been signed.

In this regard, the Kazakh leader congratulated his Belarusian counterpart, Alexander Lukashenko.

The SCO summit opened in the Kazakh capital on Thursday. The organization now has 10 members, two observer states and 14 dialogue partners.