On April 12, 2024, an international conference on “Tajikistan and Uzbekistan: new prospects for strategic partnership and alliance” was held in the city of Dushanbe.
The international conference is organized jointly by the Center for strategic research under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan and the International Institute of Central Asia.
It should be noted that this is not the first time that the conference has been held at the level of expert and analytical circles. It is of a regular nature and this is served by the Cooperation Agreement signed on June 4, 2021 between the Center for strategic research under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan and the International Institute of Central Asia.
The conference was aimed at discussing the prospects of promoting allied relations, detailed analysis of the status and progress of implementation of the adopted joint programs and documents, search for mechanisms to achieve the set goals, development of specific proposals to expand cooperation in priority areas for the countries (trade, industrial cooperation, transport, “green” development, agriculture, climate and water conservation, education, etc.).
This conference is also a logical continuation of joint efforts of the leaders of both countries and the friendly peoples of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan to strengthen the bonds of friendship and joint development.
The conference focused on issues related to the specific and practical content of previously signed interstate documents.
It should be emphasized that they define a range of specific areas of joint interaction, including trade and economic, transport, energy, ecology and water use, security in the region, and consolidate common approaches of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan to the most important issues of further development of cooperation at the bilateral, regional and international levels.
The participants of the conference from the Tajik side were the management and leading experts of the Center for strategic research under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, National Academy of the Republic of Tajikistan, Majlisi Namoyandagon Majlisi Oli of the Republic of Tajikistan, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Tajikistan and Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan.
Representatives of the International Institute of Central Asia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, the Institute of strategic and interregional research under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Institute of macroeconomic and regional research under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and the Institute of Advanced International research under the University of World Economy and Diplomacy participated in the conference from the Uzbek side.
Welcoming remarks to the conference participants were made by Usmonzoda Khayriddin – Director of the CSR, Javlon Vakhabov – Director of the IICA, Sodik Imomi – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan, Abdujabbor Rahmonzoda – Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Tajikistan to the Republic of Uzbekistan, Ergash Shaismatov – Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the Republic of Tajikistan.
Speeches and presentations of the speakers were heard during three sessions:
- Uzbekistan and Tajikistan: towards a new quality of political dialog and strategic interaction on regional and international issues.
- Prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation in the spheres of economy, energy, transportation, water use.
- Strengthening of eternal friendship through expansion of exchange in the spheres of education, science, culture and tourism.
During the first session of the conference, a report was made by Fatkhullaev Abrar Jahangerovich – Head of the Department of the Institute for strategic and interregional research under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Haydarzoda Rustam – Director of the Institute for the study of Asian and European issues of the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan, Sanjar Valiev – Director of the Information and analytical Center for international relations under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Akbarsho Iskandarov – Head of the Department of political issues and international relations at the Institute of philosophy, political science and law named after A.M. Bakhovaddinov of the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan.
The reports presented give a positive assessment of the current state of political dialog and strategic interaction between the Republic of Tajikistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan on regional and international issues.
It was emphasized that Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have sufficient points of convergence to play a leading role in regional cooperation along with maintaining and further developing active political-economic cooperation.
At the second session of the conference, the reports of the following participants were heard: Anvarov Nasimjon – First Deputy Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Tajikistan, Rustam Rahmatzod — Chairman of the Party of economic reforms of Tajikistan, Mukhsinjon Kholmukhamedov – Deputy Director of the Center for economic research and reforms under the Administration of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Sharif Rahimzoda – Director of the Institute of economics and demography of the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan, Khaldarov Zamon Atabaevich – Deputy Director of the Institute of macroeconomic and regional research under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
The participants noted that the global economy continues to face negative impacts, which hinders sustainable and balanced economic growth and this, of course, will not leave the economies of both countries without attention. Therefore, as it was noted, mutual interstate support is needed today more than ever to prevent the negative impact of destructive factors on the politics and economy of the two countries and expand cooperation in the fields of trade, economics, finance and investment, agriculture, energy, transport and water use.
In their speech, the experts considered it necessary to effectively use the potential of bilateral trade and economic cooperation and practical monitoring of the implementation of agreements that were reached during negotiations and constructive dialogue between the leaders of both countries.
At the third session of the conference, speakers: Akram Umarov – Deputy Director of the Institute for Advanced international research of the University of World Economy and Diplomacy, Guzel Maitdinova – Director of the Center for geopolitical research of RTSU, Alizoda Bahriddin Pirmukhammad – Head of the Department of philosophy and humanities of the Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Azizkhan Nazirov – The Chief researcher of IICA presented interesting and informative reports on strengthening eternal friendship through expanding exchanges in the fields of education, science, culture and tourism.
During the speech, special attention was paid to the expansion of public diplomacy, the development of interregional ties, and the strengthening of cultural and humanitarian cooperation.
Having confirmed mutual respect, good-neighborliness and a solid foundation of friendship between the countries, the participants also noted the existence of untapped significant potential for further expansion of cooperation. That is why, during the previous negotiations, the two heads of states agreed to increase the volume of bilateral trade by intensifying cooperation in projects with a Central Asian dimension (transport, agriculture, energy, water use, etc.).
In general, Tajik-Uzbek relations have been successfully developing in all directions, and joint efforts of government, business and expert circles of the two countries are required to further strengthen allied relations.
The participants also made a number of specific, practical proposals to deepen ties between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan in the political, diplomatic, trade, economic, investment, cultural and humanitarian spheres, and developed new non-standard approaches to strengthening bilateral cooperation.
Press Service
of the Center for strategic research under
the President of the Republic of Tajikistan
