Kazakhstan and Tajikistan adopt joint statement following talks

Presidents of Kazakhstan and Tajikistan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Emomali Rahmon held talks in Astana on November 7, adopting a joint statement following the negotiations. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.

According to the Akorda press service, after the talks the presidents adopted a document defining the priorities of cooperation between Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. The document outlines the main areas of bilateral interaction.

During the meeting, the heads of state discussed a wide range of issues, from rail transport to water resources management. They also considered prospects for expanding trade and developing cooperation in energy, agriculture, industry and digitalization.

Emomali Rahmon noted that in the first nine months of this year, the trade turnover between the countries exceeded $1 billion. This is almost 26% more compared to the same period last year.

"Following the results of the nine months of this year, the volume of trade turnover between our countries exceeded $1 billion. This is almost 26% more compared to the same period last year," Emomali Rahmon said earlier.

Two days before the talks in Astana, a Kazakh-Tajik business forum was held. Its participants signed 11 agreements worth $135.3 million, according to the investment committee of the Kazakh Foreign Ministry. Both countries aim to bring mutual trade to $2 billion. At the forum, QazTrade estimated the growth potential of Kazakh exports to Tajikistan at $208 million across 90 commodity items.

Before the talks at Akorda, Rahmon was greeted with an honor guard, and helicopters with the flags of Kazakhstan and Tajikistan flew over the residence. During the visit, Tokayev also awarded Rahmon the Qoja Ahmet Yasaui Order.

Thus, the joint statement adopted following the bilateral talks became one of the concrete steps aimed at further strengthening the strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. The priorities outlined in the document will allow the two countries to deepen cooperation in the trade-economic, transport-communication and water-energy spheres.