President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev highlighted the stable and positive growth of bilateral relations between Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, emphasizing the importance of strengthening their strategic partnership during a February 12 meeting with Tajikistan's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sirojiddin Muhriddin.
He commended the Treaty on Allied Relations signed the previous year, which he described as a significant milestone in the cooperation between Astana and Dushanbe, The Caspian Post reports citing The Astana Times.
He expressed Kazakhstan’s deep respect for the fraternal ties with Tajikistan, emphasizing the longstanding mutual support between the two nations.
“We highly value friendly relations with Tajikistan, with which we have no unresolved questions. Kazakhstan has special feelings for the brotherly Tajik people. Our countries have always supported each other, and today this is reflected in our desire to develop bilateral ties,” Tokayev said.
Muhriddin highlighted the mutually beneficial nature of the two countries’ relations, noting the bilateral ties are steadily advancing in the spirit of alliance and friendship, benefiting both peoples.
“Tajikistan values close fraternal ties with Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan is the most important partner for Tajikistan, there is complete mutual understanding in all areas of bilateral cooperation. The past year was significant for our relations, which moved to the level of alliance,” Muhriddin stated.
The officials reviewed the implementation of agreements reached during previous high-level meetings, focusing on expanding cooperation in the economy, trade, transit, digitalization, education, and culture. They also discussed regional security matters, water and energy cooperation, and joint efforts to ensure sustainable development in Central Asia.
Kazakh and Tajik Foreign Ministers discuss deepening ties and regional cooperation
During an official visit to Astana, Muhriddin met with Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu. The counterparts discussed a wide range of bilateral cooperation, focusing on political, economic, water and energy, transport, and cultural issues.
The officials reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the strategic partnership, emphasizing the effective implementation of agreements from Presidents Tokayev and Emomali Rahmon’s 2023-2024 state visits.
They noted a 7.4% increase in trade volume last year, reaching $1.2 billion, intending to achieve $2 billion. Agriculture, joint ventures for fruit and vegetable processing, and digitalization were highlighted as key areas for further growth.
Nurtleu and Muhriddin discussed expanding cooperation in space, IT, and artificial intelligence. Over 100 Tajik specialists are currently training at the Astana Hub. They also emphasized cultural and humanitarian ties, including joint projects and establishing monuments in both countries.
The officials also stressed the importance of ongoing collaboration in multilateral platforms like the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) to promote peace and stability in Central Asia.
