The Russian Export Center has opened its office in Dushanbe.

An official ceremony of opening of the Center’s office in Dushanbe took place on January 27 in the presence of Russian Frist Deputy Vice-Premier Igor Shuvalov, who was in Dushanbe to participate in a meeting of the Tajik-Russian commission for trade and economic cooperation.  

Shuvalov cut a red ribbon symbolizing an official opening of the office and noted that trade and economic cooperation between Russia and Tajikistan was developing well.  At the same time, he noted that there was still a room for further expansion of economic cooperation between the two countries.

Dmitry Prokhorenko, the head of the Russian Export Center’s office in Dushanbe, told reporters that the office aimed at promoting Russian goods in Tajikistan.

The Russian Export Center is a joint-stock company established as part of Vnesheconombank.  It offers a specialized one-stop-shop for exporters, providing financial and non-financial support, and interacting with relevant ministries and agencies.

The establishment of the center was mandated by the Russian government, with the decision to institute the company taken by Vnesheconombank’s Supervisory Board on April 13, 2015.

The center was officially registered as a fully owned subsidiary of Vnesheconombank on April 21, 2015.

Meanwhile, Tajik and Russian authorities say they have reached an agreement aimed at resolving a dispute that has prevented some civilian flights between their countries.

The Tajik-Russian commission for economic cooperation reportedly agreed in Dushanbe on January 27 that Tajikistan's privately owned air carrier Somon Air will be allowed to resume its flights to four Russian cities -- Krasnoyarsk, Krasnodar, Ufa, and Orenburg -- beginning on February 3.

Meanwhile, Russia's Yamal Airlines will resume its flights to Tajikistan during the summer from Zhukovsky International Airport in the Moscow region, according to Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service.

In November, with Moscow and Dushanbe disagreeing about the status of Zhukovsky Airport, Russia's Transport Ministry threatened to suspend all Russian flights to Tajikistan.

In December, Dushanbe banned Yamal flights to Tajikistan out of Zhukovsky Airport and Russia banned Somon Air flights from Tajikistan to some Russian regions.

The dispute focused on Dushanbe's claim that Zhukovsky Airport, which was opened in May 2016, was Moscow's fourth international airport and had led to an increased number of flights from Moscow to Tajikistan.

Moscow insists Zhukovsky Airport is not a Moscow airport, but rather is under the authorities in the town of Ramenskoye -- about 40 kilometers southeast of central Moscow.