What is in store for the two countries in the future?
Author: Talib Aliyev, analyst, especially for "Sangar"
Today, Tajikistan and Russia have a wide field of prospects for cooperation. In economic terms, these are the mining and mining industries, the chemical and light industries, energy, and the processing of agricultural products. In social terms, this is primarily education and the strengthening of humanitarian ties. In political terms, this is interaction in solving international problems, the fight against terrorism and cross-border crime, and the solution of environmental problems.
According to official data, the trade turnover between Tajikistan and Russia in 2023 increased from $1 billion to $1.4 billion. This may serve as an additional justification for the need to strengthen bilateral economic ties.
Having rich resources in the textile industry, it is important for Tajikistan to create a single production chain by attracting Russian investments and technologies to create joint ventures for processing cotton, leather and wool, and then export finished products to the Russian market.
Many projects in the field of infrastructure and energy that are important for the national economy are somehow connected with Russia and its technologies.
In the conditions of constant growth in housing construction, Russia is facing an acute shortage of skilled labor, which can be used by our country to study the issue of increasing labor migration while preliminary studying the issue of improving the quality of labor resources through the creation of specialized centers for training and certification of construction workers in Tajikistan.
The dynamics of intergovernmental cooperation between the two countries this year shows unprecedented growth. At least 20 meetings at the highest and middle levels were held at the level of the governments of the two countries, about 10 large reverse business missions were held. At the same time, holding international forums and other similar events with the participation of the international establishment and the business community has become an effective mechanism for such activity.
In September 2023, Vladivostok will host the VIII Eastern Economic Forum, which annually attracts the attention of thousands of participants from the countries of the Asia-Pacific region, Europe, Central Asia, Africa and other regions of the world. Hundreds of cooperation agreements will be signed by forum participants.
Participation in events of this level will allow Tajikistan to present its cooperation initiatives, as well as find new partners. This applies not only to the state-level sector and large businesses, but also to medium and small businesses.
Among political and security issues, cooperation between Tajikistan and Russia in solving international problems, especially in the fight against terrorism, drug trafficking, and cross-border crime, is very important, even key. The two countries have established close cooperation within the framework of organizations such as the CSTO and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, primarily in the field of preventing the spread of terrorism from Afghanistan, the details of which were not disclosed, with the exception of official general statements. Suffice it to say that for the two above-mentioned organizations, Tajikistan is a fortress of resistance to terrorism and extremism.
