The Tajik Embassy in Moscow on September 10 warned citizens against traveling to Russia for the time being, citing beefed-up security measures and increased document checks by Russian border guards, RFE/RL’s Tajik Service reported. Last week, the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry put out a similar statement to its citizens citing the same reasons. Central Asian migrant
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has provided 14 sets of off-grid solar power systems to farms, households, schools, and border outposts on the Tajik-Afghan border which had limited or no access to electricity. The beneficiaries of the project were located in Jamoat Sarichashma, Shamsiddin Shohin district, in the Khatlon region of
Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry and Freedom Bank, on one side, and Tajikistan’s Agency for Innovation and Digital Technologies and Amonatbank, on the other side, last week signed a memorandum of cooperation in the development of IT technologies and innovations. The parties agreed to cooperate in the development of digital infrastructure
On August 22, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev arrived in Tajikistan on a state visit and held talks with President Emomali Rahmon. Following the talks, the presidents signed a Treaty on allied relations between Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. President Rahmon emphasized the historical importance of signing the Treaty and stated that “this important document will undoubtedly open
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on 21 August said it has approved a $17.5 million grant to help improve women’s agricultural skills and boost food security in Tajikistan. The Resilient Livelihoods and Empowerment of Rural Women Project aims to improve productivity of women-led farms, strengthen agriculture processing and storage facilities, and enhance support to vulnerable women in
The Committee to Protect Journalists on August 19 called on Tajik authorities to drop bribery charges against noted journalist Ahmad Ibrohim, who was arrested a week earlier, RFE/RL reported. “Following the wave of lengthy convictions against journalists in Tajikistan since 2022, the arrest of Ahmad Ibrohim is yet another reminder of how dangerous any form of critical
Several sources close to law enforcement in Tajikistan told RFE/RL over the weekend that police in the Central Asian nation’s southern city of Kulob had arrested noted journalist Ahmad Ibrohim on bribe-related charges, RFE/RL’s Tajik Service reported. According to the sources, the 62-year-old editor-in-chief of the Paik (Message) independent newspaper was arrested on August 12
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) has released the latest Macroeconomic Review for the Bank’s six member states: Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan. EDB’s analysts note that most member countries continue to display robust growth: the aggregate GDP of the EDB’s region of operations increased by 4.6% YoY in January-June 2024, after an increase
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $30 million grant to enhance maternal and child health care services in three districts in Tajikistan—Ayni, Dangara, and Darvoz. “Tajikistan has achieved laudable health improvements over the past 2 decades, including increased life expectancy and significantly lower maternal mortality,” said ADB Director General for Central and West Asia Yevgeniy
Tajikistan’s First Deputy Interior Minister Abdurahmon Alamshozoda has confirmed reports by RFE/RL’s Tajik Service that 27 residents of the Yazgulom community in the volatile Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) have been arrested. Alamshozoda told journalists in Dushanbe on August 8 that the residents had been arrested on suspicion of being members of the Ansarullah Islamic group, which is
A deal allowing Tajik and Iranian citizens to travel between the two nations without visas for up to 90 days per year — with the first visit limited to 30 days — will take effect on August 10, the Tajik Foreign Ministry said on August 6, RFE/RL’s Tajik Service reported. The ministry said that in the first
Tajik Labor Minister Gulnora Hasanzoda said on August 6 that Russia had deported 17,000 Tajik citizens over the past six months, RFE/RL’s Tajik Service reported. According to Hasanzoda, the deportations have been mostly linked to violations of Russian law. Last month, Tajik officials said some 3,400 Tajik migrant workers had been returned to Tajikistan from
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on 6 August said it has approved a $21 million grant as additional financing to expand the supply of renewable energy in Tajikistan by further modernizing the Golovnaya hydropower plant. “The electricity from the Golovnaya hydropower plant goes to national and regional grids, benefiting Tajikistan and neighboring countries,” said ADB Director General
On July 30 in Tehran, the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon attended the inauguration ceremony of the newly elected President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian. During their meeting, President Rahmon invited Masoud Pezeshkian to visit Tajikistan. Rahmon expressed confidence that Tajikistan and Iran will continue to develop mutually beneficial cooperation on the
Authorities in Russia have once again proposed sending immigrants who have received Russian citizenship to fight in Ukraine. The Russian Defense Ministry has increased the size of payments for those who sign contracts to join Russian troops fighting in Ukraine. An article published by Radio Azattyk (RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service) reveals how Russia lures Central Asians
Kyrgyz government spokesman Nazirbek Borubaev said on July 30 that 94 percent of the 972-kilometer Kyrgyz-Tajik border had been agreed upon by officials from the two Central Asian nations, RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reported. Borubaev added that discussions between Kyrgyz and Tajik officials on defining the remaining sections of the border will be held on August
Some 3,400 Tajik migrant workers have not been allowed to enter Russia and turned back to Tajikistan from Russian airports over the last six months, the director of the Tajik Civil Aviation Agency, Habibullo Nazarzoda, told reporters on July 24, RFE/RL’s Tajik Service reported. According to Nazarzoda, Tajik citizens were not allowed to enter Russia
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said it has approved a $50 million policy-based grant to help the Government of Tajikistan foster a climate-responsive business environment and support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the country. The Enabling Climate-Responsive Business Environment Improvement Program aims to transform Tajikistan’s business environment, including through digitalization, reforms to increase exports, improving infrastructure
The European Union and Tajikistan held their eleventh annual Cooperation Committee meeting on 16 July in Dushanbe. As reported by the Delegation of the European Union to Tajikistan, the two sides reviewed their bilateral relations, exchanged views on the most topical political and socio-economic developments, and discussed cooperation in a vast array of areas, including water, environment, energy, trade, and
Tajikistan’s economy has shown remarkable growth in recent years, with an impressive expansion of 8.3% in 2023 and 8.2% in early 2024, according to the World Bank’s latest Tajikistan Economic Update released on July 16. According to the report, the growth was driven by increased revenues from gold exports and substantial public infrastructure spending. Robust worker remittances
