On April 4, in the city of Samarkand, the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Leader of the Nation, Honorable Emomali Rahmon, participated and delivered a speech at the Central Asia-European Union Summit.

The Summit began with the welcoming of the Heads of Central Asian states and the leadership of the European Union by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and a joint photo of the Heads of State and official delegations.

The President of our country, Emomali Rahmon, called the continuous development of relations with the European Union at the bilateral and multilateral levels one of the priority directions of Tajikistan’s foreign policy.

It was emphasized that the Roadmap for Deepening Relations between Central Asia and the European Union has become a key document that regulates interregional cooperation.

Regarding the state of trade and economic cooperation between the countries of Central Asia and the European Union, the Head of State, Emomali Rahmon, stated that «we aim to further expand the export of products from Tajik manufacturers to European markets, including through the use of mutual trade preferences.»

The Head of State, Honorable Emomali Rahmon, reflected on the opportunities and natural resources of our country, the potential of the industrial, energy and agricultural sectors, and stated that Tajikistan is interested in attracting foreign investment, importing new European technologies and using the experience of reputable companies.

The participation of the European Union in financing projects in the energy, agricultural, industrial, transport and communication infrastructure sectors was considered important.

It was emphasized that the issue of energy development is becoming increasingly important, given the increasing demand for electricity, and therefore, one of the promising areas in our region is cooperation in the field of “green” energy.

“For Tajikistan, the energy sector, namely renewable energy sources, which also include hydropower, is important not only for meeting national socio-economic needs, but also for the further development of regional cooperation,” — stated Emomali Rahmon.

Recalling the contribution of the European Union to the creation and modernization of «green» energy generation capacity in our country, the Head of State, Emomali Rahmon, emphasized its successful participation in the implementation of the projects of the «Norak», «Sebzor» and «Kairakkum» hydroelectric power plants.

The call was made for the European Union to contribute, on a bilateral basis or within the framework of the «Global Gateway» initiative, to the construction and modernization of hydropower facilities that are examples of «green» economy and energy.

The European Union’s assistance in the construction of electricity transmission infrastructure to South Asia through the CASA-1000 transmission line was highly appreciated.

The Head of State, Emomali Rahmon, deliberated on Tajikistan’s plans to increase the capacity of electricity generation from solar and wind energy to 10 percent of all electricity production in the country by 2030.

The Head of State stated that, based on the Strategy for the Development of the “Green” Economy, by 2032 we will fully generate energy in the country from renewable sources, and by 2037 we will turn Tajikistan into a “green” country.

Recalling Tajikistan’s initiatives to address global challenges, including the protection of glaciers, the President of the country emphasized that the first High-level International Conference on this topic is planned to be held in Dushanbe at the end of May this year. In this context, it was expressed that Tajikistan’s European and regional partners will actively participate in the work of the upcoming conference.

Our Head of State, Emomali Rahmon, also reflected on important factors for the sustainable development of interregional relations, including transport and communications.

Expanding cooperation for the development of the private sector and investment in job creation, training highly qualified workers, and expanding cultural and humanitarian ties were called an important component of the relations between the countries.

In this regard, the Head of State, Emomali Rahmon, also expressed interest in expanding cooperation in the field of education, including opening branches of European universities in our country and increasing quotas for studying in European educational institutions.

It was noted that tourism can serve as an important link for establishing direct ties among our peoples.

Further development of cooperation with the European Union within the framework of regional programs, such as BOMCA and CADAP, was deemed important.