Dushanbe: Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani’s state visit to Tajikistan will effectively contribute to buttressing cooperation relations between the two countries, including economic, trade, cultural and human sectors, and give them a new real impetus, said President of the Republic of Tajikistan H E Emomali Rahmon.
In an interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA) in Dushanbe, President Rahmon said that Tajikistan’s foreign policy attaches paramount importance to elevating relations with Arab countries, including Qatar, placing a high value on the level and course of development of the multifaceted Qatar-Tajikistan relations and their future prospects. He added that common civilizational values, mutual understanding, trust and respect for common interests are a bedrock for bilateral relations.
During the visit, the Amir witnessed the official inauguration of a modern mosque in Dushanbe, funded by Qatar has funded its construction, Rahmon said, hailing the Amir’s current visit as a logical continuation of the non-stop dialogue between the two countries. He added that previous talks signified a high level of political bilateral relations, noting that the package of new bilateral agreements, which will be inked during this visit will strengthen the legal basis for cooperation between the two countries.
Rahmon said that both countries have vast untapped opportunities in energy, banking, industry, agriculture and tourism, and that the effective realization of these opportunities meets the interests of the peoples of the two countries. These areas are a priority for cooperation with Qatar, and the active presence of Qatari investors and business circles is most welcomed, including the establishment of joint production enterprises. The President stressed that the friendly relations have reached the highest level, adding that regular communication between high-level official delegations and cooperation among various institutions plays an important role to the bilateral ties.
He said priority areas for Tajikistan, include energy and industrial productions of textiles, and food, mining, fruits and vegetables processing, precious metals and stones, manufacturing of finished products from raw materials, pharmaceuticals, transportation and finance. He added that these sectors would provide a favourable basis for increasing the volume of trade exchange, considering these areas are attractive to Qatari investors.
The President noted that Qatar is one of the first Arab countries to make direct investments in Tajikistan, with Qatar’s Diar Real Estate Investment Company developing the Diyar Dushanbe investment project in the capital. He stressed that Tajikistan has created favorable conditions for investment, entrepreneurship and the development of the private sector, with project owners and investors benefiting from more than 240 types of investment facilitations and exemptions allocated by the country’s laws and legislation.
Rahmon emphasised on the importance of setting up a permanent business council of the two countries and regularly holding economic forums, exhibitions of agricultural and industrial products and other joint events to expand bilateral cooperation relations. He also pointed out that under the current circumstances and in order to develop the tourism industry, it is necessary for countries to become more aware of each other’s potentials and opportunities and that measures be taken to facilitate the travel of citizens.
According to him, Tajikistan has created favorable conditions for tourists, especially that citizens of Qatar can enter Tajikistan without a visa. Speaking about the political cooperation between the two countries, President Rahmon said that his country and Qatar have fruitful cooperation within the framework of international and regional organizations, and both countries support each other’s initiatives in the international arena.
In this regard, he thanked Qatar for its continuous support for Tajikistan’s global initiatives in water, climate and regional security, expressing his appreciation for Qatar’s support for Tajikistan’s fifth global initiatives to declare 2025 as International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation. He commended Qatar’s constructive diplomatic efforts to ensure regional and global peace and security, stressing Tajikistan’s adoption of negotiations as the only way to a peaceful settlement.
President Rahmon said that the key issues to be discussed at the level of the summit will include the promotion of economic and social cooperation, the security challenges and threats, and cooperation between the two countries within the framework of international and regional organizations.
