DUSHANBE, 18.05.2021 (NIAT Khovar) – Yesterday on the eve of the official visit of the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Tajikistan, Tajik and Kazakh entrepreneurs attended a business forum in Dushanbe.

About 100 domestic and 15 Kazakh companies took part in the forum for the development of mutually beneficial cooperation.

Following the presentation of economic and investment potentials of Tajik and Kazakh companies, bilateral meetings of entrepreneurs was held in a B2B format.
Today there are over 100 enterprises in Tajikistan which includes with the participation of Kazakh capital in the amount of 374.1 million somoni.

The trade turnover between Tajikistan and Kazakhstan for the 2020 pandemic year amounted to $909.8 million, which is 5.3% less than in 2019. This is a good indicator for the two countries considering the difficult period.

Last year, Tajikistan’s export to Kazakhstan amounted to $152.2 million, and Kazakhstan’s export to Tajikistan totalled $757.5 million.

“Our states need to take measures to ensure the growth of the foreign trade turnover,” said Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Investments and State Property Management of Tajikistan Khursheda Kodiri.

According to the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Tajikistan Jamshed Jurakhonzoda, the government of Tajikistan has created favorable conditions for the development of entrepreneurial and investment activities.

“Today, when we talk about investment, the creation of joint ventures in Tajikistan, it is necessary to take into account that our country is an entry into the market of Afghanistan. All companies investing in Tajikistan invest in Afghanistan,” Jurakhonzoda noted.

He also added that today Tajikistan produces most of the products that customarily were imported. Currently, the country is an exporter of a wide range of goods, which is constantly expanding.

The General Director of QazTrade Trade Policy Development Center Azamat Askaruly noted that the potential of the two countries has not been exhausted.

“On the eve of President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s visit, a number of leading companies of our country arrived in Tajikistan, which are ready to expand cooperation with Tajik colleagues, including on the export of goods to third countries. We are committed to good, mutually beneficial cooperation,” Askaruly said.

The main articles Tajikistan supplies are electricity, cotton, aluminum and aluminum products, ores, slag and ash, fruits and vegetables, as well as textile materials.

The import of goods from Kazakhstan to Tajikistan mainly consists of grain and flour products, as well as fats and oils of animal and vegetable origin, salt, sulfur, soap, organic surfactants and plastering materials.

Following the forum, a number of documents were signed, including a memorandum of cooperation between QazTrade Trade Policy Development Center and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Tajikistan for $70 million, a protocol of intent for the supply of two diesel locomotives between Lokomotiv Karastyru and the Tajik Railway for $7.9 million, as well as a supply agreement between Alageum Group and Parvin Energy for $1 million, and a memorandum of cooperation between EltexAlatau and Tamos.