Mr. Mohamed Saleh Al-Swayeh, Co-Chairman of the Tajikistan–Saudi Arabia Business Council and Chairman of the International Holding Group Al-Ingaz, is currently visiting the Republic of Tajikistan. During his visit, he has held a series of high-level meetings with senior government officials and leading representatives of the country’s business community. The discussions focused on expanding trade, economic, and investment cooperation, exploring new opportunities for partnership, and strengthening direct ties between the business communities of Tajikistan and Saudi Arabia.

In an interview with Khovar News Agency, he spoke about the Council’s key activities and the future of Tajik-Saudi economic cooperation.

Please tell us why the Tajikistan–Saudi Arabia Business Council was established and what role it plays in developing economic relations between the two countries?

The Tajikistan–Saudi Arabia Business Council was established in 2022 within the framework of the Intergovernmental Joint Commission to strengthen trade, economic, and investment ties between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Tajikistan. The Council serves as an effective platform for interaction between business representatives of both countries, facilitating the exchange of experience and information, and promoting long-term partnerships that contribute to the sustainable economic development of both nations.

As we know, you were recently appointed Chairman of the Tajikistan–Saudi Arabia Business Council. What is your vision for the Council’s activities in the coming period, and what initiatives do you intend to implement?

My vision is to transform the Council into an effective mechanism for direct interaction between the private sectors of Tajikistan and Saudi Arabia. We intend to organize specialized business forums and meetings, facilitate exchanges of trade and economic delegations, promote investment opportunities in both countries, and encourage the creation of joint projects and partnerships in priority sectors of the economy.

Which sectors of the economy currently have the greatest potential for expanding cooperation between Tajikistan and Saudi Arabia?

In my opinion, the most promising areas of cooperation are tourism, renewable energy, mining, agriculture, food processing, infrastructure development, and logistics services. These sectors offer significant potential for mutually beneficial projects.

How do you assess the prospects for trade and economic cooperation between Tajikistan and Saudi Arabia?

Bilateral relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Tajikistan are based on strong spiritual ties, shared cultural and civilizational values of our brotherly peoples, as well as close fraternal relations between the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud King of Saudi Arabia, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and their brother, His Excellency Emomali Rahmon the President of the Republic of Tajikistan.

The prospects for cooperation are highly promising due to the strong political will of the leadership of both countries and the broad range of investment opportunities that can significantly increase mutual trade and investment in the coming years.

How has Saudi investors’ interest in Tajikistan changed in recent years? Which projects attract the most interest?

In recent years, Saudi investors’ interest in Tajikistan has grown significantly due to continuous improvements in the investment climate and active promotion of the country’s investment potential. The greatest interest is focused on projects in energy, tourism, agriculture, and manufacturing industries.

In which sectors are there the greatest opportunities for implementing joint projects?

There are substantial opportunities for joint projects in hydropower, renewable energy, agriculture, tourism, industrial production, and logistics services.

One of the key outcomes of our visit to Tajikistan was a productive meeting with representatives of leading Tajik companies. During the meeting, we reached an agreement to establish a joint investment company in the near future, bringing together enterprises under our management in both Saudi Arabia and Tajikistan. The company’s initial focus will be on implementing investment projects in Tajikistan, with plans to subsequently expand its investment activities to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

How do you assess the role of the private sector in strengthening economic relations between the two countries?

The private sector is the main driving force behind economic cooperation. Entrepreneurs and investors are the ones capable of transforming existing opportunities into real projects and long-term partnerships that bring mutual benefits to both countries.

Does the Business Council plan to organize forums, meetings of entrepreneurs, and reciprocal business visits?

Yes, absolutely. We are working on organizing a series of economic forums, business meetings, and reciprocal visits of business delegations to strengthen direct contacts between the business communities of both countries and identify new areas of cooperation.

Are Saudi companies interested in participating in projects related to the green economy and hydropower?

Without a doubt. We are seeing growing interest from Saudi companies in projects related to clean energy and sustainable development, especially given the Kingdom’s accumulated experience in this field and its strategic priorities in energy transformation.

To what extent can cooperation in tourism contribute to bringing the peoples of the two countries closer together?

Tourism serves as an important bridge for cultural and people-to-people exchanges between nations. It fosters mutual understanding, promotes appreciation of each other’s rich historical and cultural heritage, and creates new opportunities for economic cooperation and sustainable growth in both countries.

What factors could contribute to increasing trade turnover between the two countries?

Key factors include enhancing contacts between private-sector representatives, expanding the exchange of commercial information, organizing specialized exhibitions and forums, and improving transport and logistics connectivity between Tajikistan and Saudi Arabia.

How do you assess Tajikistan’s business climate and investment opportunities?

Tajikistan possesses significant investment potential across various sectors of the economy. The government consistently implements measures to improve the business environment and enhance its attractiveness and competitiveness, creating favorable conditions for foreign investors.

Since this is your first visit to Tajikistan, what are your impressions of the country, and how would you describe your experience so far?

I have been particularly impressed by the sincere hospitality of the Tajik people, the country’s unique natural beauty, its significant economic potential, and the strong interest shown by government institutions and business representatives in developing cooperation with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

What message would you like to convey to Saudi entrepreneurs and investors interested in exploring the Tajik market?

It is a great honor for me to visit the Republic of Tajikistan for the first time. During this trip, I met with representatives of government agencies and leading private-sector companies and became acquainted with the country’s trade, economic, investment, and tourism opportunities.

With its abundant natural resources, favorable investment climate, and broad development prospects, Tajikistan has the potential to become an attractive destination for both Saudi investors and tourists from the Gulf countries.

In this regard, I would like to encourage Saudi entrepreneurs and investors to take a closer look at the opportunities available in Tajikistan. Today, there are genuine conditions for creating successful and long-term partnerships that can bring substantial benefits to all interested parties.

– Welcome to Tajikistan, and thank you very much for the interview.

Lailo Toiri,
Khovar News Agency

Photo: Tohirjon Saidzoda