On Wednesday July 19, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon met with his Uzbek and Kazakh counterparts in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on the margins of the first Gulf Cooperation Council-Central Asia Countries (GCC-C5) Summit.

The Tajik president’s official website says Emomali Rahmon and his Uzbek counterpart Shavkat Mirziyoyev discussed a wide range of issues related to state and prospects of further expansion of the bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.  

Tajik leader reportedly expressed satisfaction with the current state and level of relations between the two countries, and the measures taken by governments to deepen ties.

It was emphasized that the participation of the two countries in the first Summit of the Heads of State of Central Asia and the Arab countries of the Gulf can serve the interests of the countries.

On the same day, Emomali Rahmon held a meeting with Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. 

In the course of the talks, the parties reportedly discussed a set of strategic partnership issues of the two countries. 

Rahmon interpreted the meeting as another good opportunity to discuss the current state and prospects of friendly and cooperative relations between Tajikistan and Kazakhstan.

It was assured that the consistent implementation of the previously reached agreements between the two countries will contribute to the strengthening of strategic partnership relations between Tajikistan and Kazakhstan.

In this regard, the parties discussed the preparation process for upcoming joint bilateral and multilateral regional and international events.

Tajik President Emomali Rahmon was in Jeddah on July 18-19 on a two-day visit to participate in the GCC-C5 summit. 

The minister of foreign affairs, presidential advisers for foreign relations and economic issues, the minister of finance, the chairman of the committee on religion affairs and other officials accompanied the president on this visit to Saudi Arabia. 

Media reports say Arab Gulf states and Central Asian countries cemented their political, security and economic ties during the GCC-C5 Summit, a gathering of the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council member states and the presidents of Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.

At the event, which took place in in the Saudi city of Jeddah, a Joint Action Plan for Strategic Dialogue and Cooperation between GCC members and Central Asian states was approved, covering the period from 2023 to 2027.

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in deeper economic cooperation between the GCC and Central Asia. The regions have complementary economies, with GCC countries enjoying a wealth of oil and gas resources and Central Asia benefiting from a young and growing workforce. There are also opportunities for cooperation in the areas of trade, investment and tourism.