Tajikistan has assumed the rotating CIS chairmanship and Dushanbe is hosting the next session of the CIS Council of Heads of Government today.  The CIS heads of government are expected to discuss cooperation between the CIS member nations in the field of innovative development of energy sector and development of advanced energy technologies.

The CIS Executive Committee press center says the session will discuss fourteen draft documents aimed at promoting further expansion of cooperation between the CIS member nations in economic and humanitarian spheres.

Traditionally, the session is held in two formats.

In narrow format, heads of delegations will exchange views on topical issues of economic cooperation between the CIS member nations and discuss the progress of negotiations on a draft agreement on free trade in services.         

In extended format, the delegations are expected to discuss and sign a concept of cooperation between the CIS member nations in the field of innovative development of energy sector and development of advanced energy technologies, a plan of actions for implementation of this concept, an agreement on formation and development of the CIS market for intellectual property and a draft agreement for electronic and electrical waste management. 

The CIS heads of government will also discuss a decision on the procedure of development and financing of interstate innovative projects and interstate innovative cooperation program for the period until 2020.

They will also discuss draft regulations on the congress of teachers and international youth project, 100 Ideas for CIS, according to the CIS Executive Committee.

The CIS Council of Heads of Government was established on December 21, 1991.  The council is the second major body in the CIS after the CIS Council of Heads of State, and consists of the prime ministers of all member states.  The council coordinates the CIS member states'' cooperation in economic, social and other areas of their common interests, and adopts corresponding decisions through consensus.  The A session of the CIS Council of Heads of Government is convened twice a year, normally in winter and autumn. Extraordinary meetings are summoned on the initiative of the government of a member state.

Established on December 8, 1991 after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is a regional organization.  It now consists of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine.  Georgia pulled out of the organization in 2009.