During his visit to Tajikistan on July 2, Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif held talks with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon to discuss issues of development and expansion of relations of friendship and cooperation between Tajikistan and Pakistan, the press service of the Tajik president reported. “We consider the commercial and
China’s Foreign Ministry announced on June 30 that President Xi Jinping will attend the 24th summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Astana and pay state visits to Kazakhstan and Tajikistan from July 2 to July 6, RFE/RL reported. “From July 2 to 6, President Xi Jinping will attend the 24th Meeting of the
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has expressed concern over recently adopted amendments to Tajikistan’s law on the regulation of traditions and ceremonies, saying it worsens religious freedom violations in the Central Asian state, RFE/RL’s Tajik Service reported. The amendments, signed by President Emomali Rahmon on June 20, among other restrictions bans children’s games
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) has released its Macroeconomic Outlook for its six member states. According to the report, in 2024 Armenia’s GDP is expected to grow by 7.5%, Belarus’s by 3.4%, Kazakhstan’s by 5%, Kyrgyzstan’s by 5.5%, Russia’s by 3%, and Tajikistan’s by 8%. For most EDB member countries, the outlook has been upgraded
The Tajik parliament’s upper chamber, the Majlisi Milli, approved a bill on June 19 banning “alien garments” and children’s celebrations for two major Islamic holidays — Eid al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha, known as idgardak, RFE/RL’s Tajik Service reported. The bill, approved on May 8 by the lower chamber, the Majlisi Namoyandagon, mostly targets the hijab,
The High-level Central Asian Forum on ‘Water and Climate Change’, organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in cooperation with the European Union and the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources of Tajikistan earlier this month in Dushanbe, has become a cornerstone of the 3rd High-level International Conference on the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the International Association of Businesswomen “Tadbirkor Ayol” last week hosted the Central Asian Conference on “Women of Central Asia in the Hospitality Business: Current Challenges and Opportunities” in Tashkent. The event gathered approximately 200 women entrepreneurs, professionals, and industry experts from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and the Kyrgyz Republic
Saidjafar Usmonzoda, a prominent member of the Tajik parliament, was detained on June 14 for allegedly “plotting to overthrow the government,” RFE/RL’s Tajik Service reported. Prosecutor-General Yusuf Rahmon accused Usmonzoda of collaborating with the foreign-based opposition group National Pact of Tajikistan and of speaking with its leader, the self-exiled Sharofiddin Gadoev. Gadoev fled Tajikistan in the early
On June 10, a meeting of the National Development Council was held under the chairmanship of the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon. The meeting evaluated the interim implementation of the National Development Strategy of Tajikistan for the period until 2030, identified further development priorities, and attracted the attention of development partners to increasing funds for
The eleventh round of the annual High-Level Political and Security Dialogue between the European Union and the countries of Central Asia (Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) took place in Brussels on June 5. The meeting was held at the level of Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the five Central Asian countries
On June 3, a symposium dedicated to cooperation in higher education between Korea and Central Asian countries was held in South Korea. The event was organized by the Secretariat of the Central Asia–Republic of Korea Cooperation Forum. Opening the symposium, Executive Director of the Secretariat of the Central Asia-Republic of Korea Cooperation Forum, Rhee Jong
China and five Central Asian nations have officially established a China-Central Asia emergency management cooperation mechanism, Xinhua reported. China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan signed a memorandum of understanding on the establishment of the mechanism during a ministerial meeting in Urumqi, the capital of northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, last week. The six
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) on May 15 said it is pledging new funds to support inclusive lending to the smallest customers in remote areas of Tajikistan. The Bank is providing a financial package of US$ 4 million (€3.7 million) to one of the country’s leading microlenders, MDO HUMO. HUMO, the winner of
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Swiss government are helping to address pressing water treatment and environmental issues in Tajikistan by contributing additional funds towards the completion of upgrades to water and wastewater infrastructure in the city of Fayzobod and 14 neighbouring communities, the EBRD said on April 30. The EBRD is organising
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) says it is providing funds to upgrade key infrastructure and develop sustainable transportation solutions for Tajikistan’s capital. This is the third project under the Dushanbe Green City Action Plan (GCAP). The EBRD’s sovereign loan of up to €28.45 million will help finance major transportation improvements in the riverside part of
Tajikistan has advised its citizens to refrain from traveling to Russia amid increased pressures faced by Central Asians there following the deadly Crocus City Hall attack near Moscow last month, RFE/RL’s Russian Service reported. The Tajik Foreign Ministry issued the “temporary” advisory on April 27, a day after Tajik officials expressed concerns about Tajiks being “unjustifiably” denied entry to
As part of his visit to Italy, Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon on April 26 paid an official visit to the Vatican and met with Pope Francis. According to the Holy See press office, during the meeting the good relations between the Holy See and Tajikistan were evoked, and mention was made of some aspects of
U.S. Ambassador to Tajikistan Manuel P. Micaller, Jr. on April 26 joined local partners and community to celebrate the restoration of the Ancient City of Panjakent, a historic Silk Road site dating to the fifth century. Ambassador Micaller noted in his remarks: “Heritage sites such as Panjakent can increase tourism, boost local economies, and improve the prosperity of
The President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon on April 23 in Rome met with the President of the Council of Ministers of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, to discuss issues of expanding bilateral ties in the political, economic, trade, cultural, humanitarian, and security spheres. Both sides expressed interest in expanding cooperation in the fields of hydropower, light, food,
On April 22, UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron arrived in Tajikistan as part of his visit to Central Asia. In Dushanbe, Cameron met with the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon and the parties discussed attraction of British investments to the mining, metallurgical, light, food, pharmaceutical, and agricultural sectors of Tajikistan, the Tajik president’s press service