On Friday December 13, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani exchanged congratulatory messages on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, according to the Tajik president’s official website.   

Emomali Rahmon, in particular, noted in his message that establishment of an active political dialogue at various levels, mutually beneficial cooperation as well as constructive cooperation in the framework of international and regional organizations are “products of this bright stage of interstate relations between our countries.”  

Qatar’s Emir, for his part, called Emomali Rahmon “dear brother” in his message and expressed satisfaction with state of relationships between the two countries.  He reportedly confirmed his intention to continue collaboration with President Rahmon for the purpose of developing ad strengthening bilateral relations in various spheres for the benefit of two fraternal peoples.  

Meanwhile, a reliable source within the Tajik government says Qatar’s Emir will pay a working visit to Tajikistan in the near future and will participate in an official opening ceremony of the Dushanbe Central Mosque, which was built under financial support of Qatar.  

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.

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.