On Friday April 8, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin exchanged congratulatory messages on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between their countries, according to the Tajik president’s official website.  

Rahmon’s congratulatory message, in particular, notes that over the past 30 years, the two countries have achieved significant results in developing and expanding relations of close friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation based on principles of strategic partnership.  

Noting that Russia is the major trading partner of Tajikistan, Rahmon expressed confidence that further expansion of the Tajik-Russian cooperation meets the fundamental interests of the citizens of the two countries and contributes to maintaining peace and security in Central Asia. 

President Putin, for his part, notes in his congratulatory message that over the past decades, the two counties have managed to bring their ties to the level of strategic partnership.

“Substantive political dialogue is developing and economic, scientific and humanitarian cooperation is being expanded.  Moscow and Dushanbe interact constructively in addressing threats and challenges posed to the regional security and coordinate efforts within the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the CIS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the United Nations and other multilateral structures,” reads Putin’s message of congratulations.

A protocol on the establishment of diplomatic relations between Tajikistan and Russia was signed on April 8, 1992 in Dushanbe.  The Embassy of the Russian Federation was opened in Dushanbe on May 4, 1992.  On June 8, 1993 the permanent mission of the Republic of Tajikistan in Moscow was transformed into Permanent Mission of Republic of Tajikistan in the Russian Federation,

On May 25, 1993, a Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance was signed between the two countries.

Both countries are close allies and members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the military alliance formed by the Collective Security Treaty Organization, and the Commonwealth of Independent States.  Tajikistan hosts Russian military base.  Tajikistan and Russia also work closely together in issues concerning Afghanistan and are partners in anti-terrorism, anti-narcotics, and intelligence operations.

More than 290 government-to-government and inter-agency cooperation agreements were signed between Tajikistan and Russia during the period from 1992 to 2020.