Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 18-19 April, the state visit of the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Tajikistan will take place. This will be the first visit this year by the head of Uzbekistan to the states of Central Asia, which indicates a high level of good neighborliness and commitment to further strengthening the strategic partnership and allied relations between the two republics.

It should be noted that today the presidents of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, along with other leaders of Central Asian states, by intensifying friendly ties, are making an important contribution to the development of regional cooperation.

In shaping the future of Central Asia, the heads of the countries of the region have managed to cover a path of a quarter of a century since 2018. The united voice of the leaders of Central Asia is heard from international platforms; they initiated resolutions of the UN General Assembly on very acute sensitive regional and global problems - from the need to preserve glaciers to the nuclear non-proliferation regime.

We should not forget that it was Emomali Rahmon who was one of the first to support Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s initiative to launch Consultative Meetings of the Heads of States of Central Asia, the 5th anniversary summit of which took place in September 2023 in Dushanbe.

Today, Uzbek-Tajik relations, based on the principles of equality, mutual support and trust, have been put on a trajectory of intensive development through joint efforts.

The parties demonstrate an exemplary model of bilateral interaction. In particular, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan consistently interact within the CIS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and other international structures, supporting and complementing each other’s global initiatives.

In general, there is a breakthrough in bilateral cooperation in all areas without exception.

Firstly, thanks to the strong political will and strategic vision of Presidents Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Emomali Rahmon, there is a significant increase in the dynamics of bilateral contacts at the highest and highest levels between the fraternal states.

In 2018, for the first time in the history of relations, mutual state visits were exchanged. Then Shavkat Mirziyoyev said that he came to Dushanbe “with an open soul and with open borders,” while Emomali Rahmon in Tashkent voiced that “relations with Uzbekistan remain the main priority of Tajikistan’s foreign policy.” In total, since 2016, the leaders of the two countries have met 32 times.

For his outstanding personal contribution to strengthening the strong, centuries-old ties of friendship and good neighborliness, the head of our state awarded Emomali Rahmon the Order of “El-Yurt Khurmati” (xon  17 April 2018, Tashkent), and the Tajik leader awarded Shavkat Mirziyoyev the Order of “Zarrintoch” (“Golden Crown”) of the first degree (on 11 June 2021, Dushanbe).

The next important stage was the decision of the leaders of the two countries to raise the level of the Uzbek-Tajik partnership to strategic (on 17 August 2018), then to allied relations (on 2 June 2022).

In essence, the presidents laid the foundation for a new era of cooperation, combining efforts, capabilities and potential to the maximum extent possible, and removing all existing barriers.

The atmosphere of trust at the highest level had a positive effect on the intensification of interparliamentary relations. As a result, in 2020, an interparliamentary group of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan was created for cooperation with the Majlisi Namoyandagon of the Majlisi Oli of the Republic of Tajikistan. Over the past four years, exchanges of parliamentary delegations have been carried out 5 times.

An important step in strengthening constructive parliamentary dialogue was the meeting in September 2023 in Dushanbe of the Chairman of the Majlisi Milli Majlisi Oli of Tajikistan, Rustam Emomali, with the Chairman of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan, Tanzila Narbaeva. The agreement on cooperation signed as a result between the upper houses of the parliaments of the two countries is still a key tool for monitoring the implementation of agreements reached at the highest level.

Intergovernmental contacts are becoming intensive. Since 2018, more than 15 meetings have been held at the level of Prime Ministers Abdulla Aripov and Kohir Rasulzoda. The heads of government today personally head the Intergovernmental Commission, the 11th meeting of which was held on 12 March 2024 in Dushanbe.

As a result, the parties reached a number of agreements on the implementation of the untapped potential of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan in the textile and clothing industry, joint production of agricultural machinery and equipment, food processing, metallurgy, pharmaceuticals, production of medicines, building materials, information technology and electronics.

Political consultations at the level of Ministry of Foreign Affairs are held on a regular basis and cooperation is carried out on security issues between the intelligence services, law enforcement agencies and defense departments of the two countries.

Secondly, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan have significantly intensified trade, economic and investment ties.

There has been a significant jump in bilateral trade turnover. Over the past 7 years, mutual trade has grown from USUS$197 million to USUS$757 million.

During this period, Tajik exports to Uzbekistan increased by 3.5 times, Uzbek exports by 4 times. Today, our state is among the top 5 largest trading partners of Tajikistan, which, in turn, ranks 10th in the foreign trade turnover of Uzbekistan. There is every reason to increase the volume of mutual trade to US$1 billion by the end of this year.

This is an achievable result, taking into account the growing demand for mutual supplies of such goods as mineral fuel, electricity, food, mechanical equipment, building materials, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, products made from them, ores, slag, ash, textile and chemical products and goods of individuals.

The Uzbekistan-Tajikistan Interregional Forum plays an important role in this process. Following the results of the first forum, held in 2021 in the city of Bokhtar, Khatlon region, with the participation of the heads of the border Surkhandarya and Sughd regions, representatives of the business community, a significant package of agreements was signed.

At the same time, joint investment projects are being successfully implemented. The numbers speak for themselves: a 10-fold increase in the number of Uzbek-Tajik enterprises from 34 in 2016 (25 in Uzbekistan, 9 in Tajikistan) to 339 in 2023 (278/61).

As part of the development of trade and economic relations, industrial cooperation is also strengthening. Since May 2023, the Uzbekistan-Tajikistan trade zone project has been implemented at the Oybek-Fotekhabod checkpoints. An important role in it is played by the Uzbek-Tajik Investment Company, operating since 2021, whose authorized capital has doubled over the past three years - from 50 million to 100 million dollars.

A striking example of the practical and mutually beneficial development of industrial and investment relations was the launch of a number of large joint ventures in Tajikistan, including the production of consumer electronics Artel Avesto Electronics and Talko-Krantas for the repair of municipal and construction equipment.

Tajik experts believe that Uzbek-made cars will be in great demand in Tajikistan due to their relatively affordable price and quality that meets international standards.

Similar facilities are opening in Uzbekistan.

In particular, in Besharyk district of Ferghana region, on the border with Tajikistan, a large regional trade and logistics cluster “Andarkhon” is being built, where more than 200 facilities will be located - production workshops, shops, hotels, a bank and a logistics center.

One of the powerful drivers of Uzbek-Tajik economic development is the hydropower sector. Since June 2022, the parties have already begun construction of two hydroelectric power stations with a capacity of 320 MW: Yavanskaya on the Zarafshan River and a hydroelectric power station on the Fandarya River (in the left tributary of the Zarafshan River).

The generated electricity - 1.4 billion kWh - will be supplied to the needs of both countries on a parity basis. Joint work is being carried out within the framework of such large projects as the Rogun hydroelectric station.

This project will certainly improve the reliability of the electrical networks of both Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

Thirdly, thanks to the far-sighted decisions of Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Emomali Rahmon, a breakthrough was achieved in the full implementation of bilateral transport and communication potential.

In particular, in 2018, the activities of 8 automobile checkpoints were restored, and the operation of the Galaba-Amuzang-Khoshady railway line, whose operation had been suspended for 20 years, was resumed.

Also, from 2021, regular flights "Tashkent - Dushanbe - Tashkent" were resumed, and from 2022, international bus routes "Samarkand - Dushanbe", "Penjikent - Samarkand" started to operate. Along with this, 5 new road transport lines between the regions were launched, including Tashkent - Khujand. In the same year, the Tashkent – Dushanbe passenger train began operating.

The issue of construction of a railway on the Penjikent-Bulungur/Djambay section, electrification of the Bekabad-Istiklol railway section and the development of the Uzbekistan-Tajikistan-China transport corridor are being considered.

As a result, during the period from 2016 to 2023, the volume of freight transport by rail between the two countries increased by more than 25 times - from 300 thousand tons to 8.5 million tons, and by road by 2 times - to 1.5 million tons.

In the ranking of the Logistics Systems Efficiency Index in 2023, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan improved their results by 11 and 37 positions, taking 88th and 97th places in the world.

Currently, the roads and railways of our countries are mutually integrated. This important communications network also performs a transit function for third countries. Among the promising projects in this area, the project of a new multimodal corridor “China – Tajikistan – Uzbekistan – Turkmenistan – Iran – Turkey – Europe” should be noted.

Its implementation, on the one hand, will resolve the issue of transport isolation of both states, on the other hand, along with the existing Trans-Caspian international transport route and the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project, will become an important help for the development of the transport system of Central Asia and increasing its role as a profitable transit link in the East-West direction.

Fourthly, high dynamics of interstate cooperation is observed in the cultural and humanitarian sphere.

One of the key factors in increasing contacts in this direction was the abolition of the visa regime in 2018 and the opening of borders, which created favorable conditions for the free movement of people, communication and trade.

Today, Tajiks are the largest ethnic group in number in Uzbekistan after the titular nation, and Uzbeks are the largest in Tajikistan. This, in turn, contributes to the activation of cultural relations and public diplomacy.

Their scale is demonstrated by the following indicators: there are 19 Tajik national cultural centers in Uzbekistan, 8 periodicals are published, the Tojikiston TV channel is broadcast, 25 television programs, 3 radio programs, 4 radio magazines and 2 music programs are aired in the Tajik language. In 255 Uzbek schools, education is conducted in the Tajik language.

In Bukhara, Samarkand, Ferghana and Termez State Universities, as well as the Chirchik State Pedagogical Institute and the Denov Institute of Entrepreneurship and Pedagogy, the activities of faculties and groups with the Tajik language of instruction have been established, the number of their students has almost doubled - from 621 in 2016 to 1022 in 2023.

In fraternal Tajikistan there are a large number of schools where they teach in the Uzbek language. Magazines ("Sharqnoma" magazines) and newspapers ("Khalk ovozi" newspapers, "Sogd hakiqati" newspapers) are also published in this language, and "Sogd" TV is broadcast.

In addition, there are 3 Uzbek national cultural centers in the country and the Uzbek faculty of the Dushanbe Pedagogical University is actively functioning.

Every year, hundreds of events dedicated to the development of Tajik and Uzbek culture are held in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan (days of art, cinema, national holidays, forums, interuniversity conferences, scientific symposia and others).

From time immemorial, our peoples have said that a friend is known in adversity. In this context, in the recent history of Uzbek-Tajik relations, the assistance that, on the personal instructions of Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Uzbekistan provided to the brotherly people in the midst of a pandemic will forever be remembered, and Emomali Rahmon ordered the sending of humanitarian aid to our country in the form of construction materials for those affected during the breakthrough dams of the Sardoba reservoir in the Syrdarya region in May 2020. In the most difficult days, both countries assisted each other, uniting the friendship between the peoples even stronger.

Most importantly, close neighbors are ready to continue to form a common understanding in the region about the need to be able to find a joint consolidated response to emerging new challenges and threats under any circumstances.

In this regard, the political will of top officials and the developing bilateral dialogue will certainly contribute to the further development of regional cooperation and the growth of the well-being of friendly peoples.

In general, Tashkent and Dushanbe do not intend to rest on the achieved results. Without any doubt, the upcoming high-level meeting in Tajikistan is designed to consolidate positive trends, identify promising areas of bilateral cooperation, and also open up new opportunities for ensuring sustainable development of the entire Central Asian region.

The given positive dynamics of Uzbek-Tajik interaction is becoming an important factor in achieving the goals of sustainable development, improving the well-being of the population, and ensuring regional stability and security.

Considering the intention of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to deepen strategic partnership and alliance, the priority areas of interaction in the near future are increasing trade turnover and developing industrial cooperation.

An important driver of economic cooperation should be considered the expansion of production cooperation between enterprises in the agro-industrial complex, automotive and light industry, transport, as well as the involvement of companies from the two countries in the implementation of large infrastructure projects in the territories of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

Another significant area of mutually beneficial partnership is the transport sector. In this context, the relevance of deepening close cooperation between the parties within the framework of the implementation of the transport route China-Tajikistan-Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Iran-Turkmen-Europe is increasing, which allows Tashkent and Dushanbe to diversify their transit corridors with access to the European (Tajikistan-Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Caspian Sea) , South Asian (Tajikistan-Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India) and Middle Eastern (Tajikistan-Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Iran-Persian Gulf) directions.

To summarize, it can be emphasized that the visit of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Tajikistan will give new impetus to deepening bilateral cooperation and open up prospects for ensuring sustainable development of the entire Central Asian region.

Jasur Rakhmatov,

Chief Researcher at the Institute for Strategic Studies

and interregional studies under the President

Republic of Uzbekistan