DUSHANBE, 22.08.2024 /NIAT “Khovar”/. The discussion of issues of cooperation between Tajikistan and Kazakhstan and topical regional and global issues started at the special meeting of the Heads of States, Honorable Emomali Rahmon and Honorable Kassym-Jomart Tokaev, and continued in the meeting with the official delegations of the two sides.

Honorable Head of State Emomali Rahmon welcomed the distinguished guest and his accompanying delegation to Tajikistan and thanked Kassym-Jomart Tokayev for his personal care for the comprehensive strengthening of relations between Tajikistan and Kazakhstan, which are based on open, reliable and sincere bonds.

During the meeting, issues of further cooperation in political, trade and economy, investment, industry, energy, finance and banking, agriculture and other areas of mutual interest were discussed.

It was emphasized that Kazakhstan has a leading position among Tajikistan’s trade partners, and the indicators of trade between the two countries are steadily growing. Thus, the volume of trade between the two countries increased by 20 percent in the first half of this year compared to the same period last year.

The parties agreed to increase the turnover of goods up to 2 billion US dollars.

It was said that there are 92 joint ventures in Tajikistan with the investment of Kazakhstan, and 89 joint ventures with the participation of Tajik entrepreneurs in the friendly country. Over the past 5 years, 700 million US dollars have been invested in the economy of Tajikistan from Kazakhstan.

During the negotiations, the great existing potential for further expansion of cooperation in the fields of trade, economy and investment was stressed.

This is evidenced by the results of the business forum of Tajikistan and Kazakhstan, which was held in Dushanbe on August 21 as part of the state visit of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

On the sidelines of this event, the parties signed 14 commercial contracts and cooperation agreements for a total amount of 1.2 billion US dollars.

In this regard, it was suggested that the effectiveness of the work of the Intergovernmental Commission on Economic and Commercial Cooperation should be strengthened and its potential should be widely used.

It was emphasized that in the field of industry of Tajikistan there are many opportunities for cooperation in the chemical and mineral sectors, development of oil and gas fields, coal, processing of aluminum and other metals.

During the meeting, it was considered necessary to speed up the implementation process of the project of establishing three logistics centers for the delivery of export products of Tajikistan to Kazakhstan.

It was said that today more than 80 percent of Tajikistan’s fruit and vegetable exports go to Kazakhstan, and this process is growing. A large amount of wheat, flour and other grain products are imported from Kazakhstan to Tajikistan.

Only last year, the share of this type of product in the total structure of Tajikistan’s imports from Kazakhstan was almost 40 percent.

At the meeting, expressing satisfaction with the implementation of the agreements reached in the field of digitization, it was emphasized that this year 100 specialists of this sector from Tajikistan will be educated in the modern information technology centers of Kazakhstan.

Satisfaction was expressed with the level of cooperation in the field of transportation and transit, cargo and passenger transport and the opening of bus routes and regular flights between the capitals of the two countries.

Another topic of the meeting was the development of cooperation in the tourism sector and relations between the regions of the two countries.

During the meeting, it was emphasized that the inter-parliamentary relations of the countries are rapidly strengthening. In this regard, the activity of the Permanent Commission on the cooperation of the upper houses and friendship groups of the lower houses of the parliaments was considered significant.

It was said that about 400 citizens of Tajikistan are currently studying in the higher educational institutions of Kazakhstan and 100 students from the friendly country – in our country.

In this context, the parties considered it necessary to take joint measures for the development of cooperation in the fields of science and education, culture and art.

It was emphasized that cooperation in the field of security plays an important role in the relations between the two countries.

The parties further considered it necessary to coordinate the activities of special services in the fight against terrorism and extremism, manifestations of radicalism, transnational organized crime, including illegal drug trafficking, and cybercrime.

During the negotiations, the parties also discussed the cooperation of the countries in the framework of regional and global organizations, such as UN, SCO, CSTO, CICA.