NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE NATIONAL LEADER OF THE TURKMEN PEOPLE, CHAIRMAN OF THE HALK MASLAHATY OF TURKMENISTAN AND THE PRESIDENT OF TAJIKISTAN TOOK PLACE IN DUSHANBE

On April 4, 2024, the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, within the framework of a two-day official visit to Dushanbe, held negotiations with the President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon.

After the official welcoming ceremony, the parties held negotiations in a one-on-one format and in an expanded composition of delegations.

The interlocutors discussed the current state and prospects for further development of bilateral cooperation. Having specified the key vectors of interstate interaction in the light of the requirements of the time and taking into account the priorities of the national economies of Turkmenistan and Tajikistan, the leaders of the two countries agreed to give a qualitatively new impetus to interstate relations in various directions.

Particular emphasis was placed on the need to use the existing potential of the parties in trade relations in order to increase the volume of trade turnover. At the same time, the need to intensify the activities of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation and the Turkmen-Tajik Business Council was noted.

Energy, transport and communications, industry, and agriculture were named among the main areas of bilateral cooperation. Environmental issues were highlighted separately, in particular, the National Leader of the Turkmen people and President Emomali Rahmon spoke in favor of further strengthening and improving the activities of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS), which is a key regional structure aimed at ensuring cooperation in improving the environmental and socio-economic situation in the Aral Sea region.

In order to preserve and strengthen relations of mutual friendship and cooperation between the peoples of the two countries, the readiness of Turkmenistan and Tajikistan to expand partnership in the fields of education, science, culture, healthcare, physical education and sports was confirmed.

Current issues on the regional and global agenda of mutual interest were also the subject of detailed discussion. In this context, an exchange of views took place on the possibilities of further interaction within large international and regional organizations, primarily the United Nations, to solve pressing problems related to modern challenges and threats.

At the end of the negotiations in an expanded format, a ceremony for signing bilateral documents took place. The parties signed:

– Cooperation program between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan for 2024-2025;

– Agreement on cooperation between the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and the Center for Advanced Training and Retraining of Diplomatic Service Employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan;

– Agreement on cooperation between the Ministry of Construction and Architecture of Turkmenistan and the Committee on Architecture and Construction under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan;

– Memorandum of Understanding between the Institute of Seismology and Atmospheric Physics of the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan and the Institute of Geology, Earthquake Resistant Construction and Seismology of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tajikistan;

– Agreement between the khyakimlik of the city of Arkadag (Turkmenistan) and the Executive body of state power of Khujand (Sughd region, Republic of Tajikistan) on the establishment of twinning relations between the cities of Arkadag and Khujand.