Tajik President Emomali Rahmon yesterday held an official talks session here with  HH the Emir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, according to the Tajik president’s official website. 

The Qatar News Agency (QNA) says Chief of the Amiri Diwan Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, Minister of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Qassim Al-Thani, Minister of Culture Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad Al-Thani and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi attended the talks session, as well as several senior officials, members of the official delegation accompanying HH the Emir.

On the Tajik side, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sirojiddin Muhriddin, Presidential Adviser for Foreign Relations Sharif Latifzod, Presidential Adviser for Economic Affairs Nematullo Hikmatullozoda, Minister of Economic Development and Trade Zavqi Zavqizoda and Minister of Culture Zulfiya Davlatzoda attended the talks session, as well as several senior officials.

At the session that took place at the Palace of Nation, the two leaders reviewed the friendly and cooperation relations between the two counties, and ways to enhance and develop them in various fields, the Tajik president’s official website says.

The parties reportedly expressed their satisfaction with the level and process of relations between the two countries and with the course of their sustainable development.

Sectors like hydropower, light industry, food industry, mining, ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, agriculture and tourism were outlined as areas which could drive the bilateral trade between the two countries.  

The possibility of long-term beneficial cooperation between the two countries in launching joint ventures, processing and production of competitive export products, especially drinking water and high-quality environmentally friendly fruits and vegetables was also discussed.

The parties also discussed issues related to opening air routes between the two countries, the possibility of expanding cultural and humanitarian relations, especially in the fields of science and education, culture, healthcare and other social sectors.

The session also addressed the overall events and developments on the regional and international arenas.

Diplomatic relations between the Republic of Tajikistan and the State of Qatar were established on December 13, 1994, and the Embassy of the State of Qatar started functioning in Tajikistan in November 2012.  In July 2013, the State of Qatar appointed its Ambassador to the Republic of Tajikistan.  Tajikistan opened its Embassy in the State of Qatar in December 2012.  In May 2013, the Ambassador of the Republic of Tajikistan to the State of Qatar was appointed.

However, currently there are no so many substantive projects linking Tajikistan and Qatar.  One is the Qatari Diar real estate company’s luxury residence complex the “Diar Dushanbe” and the monumental mosque in the Tajik capital.

During his visit to Doha in February 2017, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and his team presented their Qatari counterparts with a laundry list of potential investment and spheres of cooperation: from hydropower and water to transportation, agriculture, light industry, mining, and scientific exchanges.  The president also highlighted the country’s four free trade zones as open for Qatari business, and pushed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Qatar Stock Exchange and Tajikistan’s Central Asia Stock Exchange, established in April 2015.

On February 3, 2019, Tajikistan and Qatar signed a government-to-government agreement on regulation of recruitment of manpower from Tajikistan.  Under this agreement, Tajik labor migrants can work in Qatar on the basis of a contract between employee and employer drawn up in accordance with Qatari legislation.  The agreement reportedly includes the procedures and regulations of workers recruitment, in addition to the formation of a joint committee of the two sides to be held annually, to facilitate the recruitment procedures between the two countries.