Relations of Tajikistan with Kazakhstan

Diplomatic relations between the Republic of Tajikistan and the Republic of Kazakhstan were established on January 7, 1993. Diplomatic Mission of the Republic of Tajikistan in the Republic of Kazakhstan started its functioning in June, 1993. Diplomatic mission of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which received the Embassy status in January 2001, operates in Dushanbe as an independent Mission since April, 1998.

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, Tajik-Kazakh bilateral relations develop in a direction of mutually beneficial cooperation. Tajik-Kazakh relations successfully develop in political, trade, economic, scientific, technical, cultural and other spheres. Tajik-Kazakh relations could be characterized as having the spirit of mutual trust, complete coincidence or proximity of the positions regarding many actual international and regional problems.

The visits of the heads of the states became the main events in fostering relations and consolidating the legal base of the cooperation. Thus, as a result of the visit of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon to Kazakhstan’s capital in January, 1993, the basic document “Treaty on the Fundamentals of the Relations between the Republic of Tajikistan and the Republic of Kazakhstan” was signed. As a result of the working visit of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon to Kazakhstan in the lead of the governmental delegation in November, 1995, a set of documents on bilateral cooperation in the economic sphere was signed.

The first official visit of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N. Nazarbayev to the Republic of Tajikistan was paid in June, 2000. This visit became a turning point in the history of Tajik-Kazakh bilateral relations. As a result of a visit was signed intergovernmental and interdepartmental agreements. These agreements gave a great impetus to the cooperation of both countries in economic, political, scientific, technical and custom spheres.

Another positive impetus to the bilateral cooperation was given by the official visit of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N. Nazarbayev to the Republic of Tajikistan made in September, 2007. The sides were signed agreements in the sphere of culture and arts, agriculture, technical and professional education, investments and trade.

For the purpose of efficiently solving priority issues and further deepening of the bilateral cooperation’s Tajikistan and Kazakhstan established sustained institutional basis Interstate Coordinating Council, Council of ministers of foreign affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan and Kazakhstan.

From the point of view of complex approach, the meetings of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic cooperation, which were conducted in 1998, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012 were of a huge importance for Tajik-Kazakh bilateral relations.

Legal base of Tajik-Kazakh bilateral relations consists of 75 documents, signed during the period between 1993 and 2013. Documents, approved by both sides, consider important directions of the cooperation, and, of course, guarantee a solid legal base for further strengthening of Tajik-Kazakh bilateral cooperation in political, economical, investment, fiscal, banking and custom spheres, as well as in military and technical areas.

Coordination of foreign policy efforts of both sides on multilateral basis is tight. This coordination is provided by the cooperation in the framework of such international and regional organization, as UN, CIS, EurAsEC, CSTO and SCO. The field of cooperation in the framework of these organizations is very wide – starting with designing and coordination of foreign policy approaches to solution of the actual international and regional problems ending with establishing wide spectrum of cooperation in trade, economic and humanitarian areas.

The first priority directions of Tajik-Kazakh economic cooperation are: mining industry, non-ferrous metallurgy, machine building sector, agricultural complex, energy sector, light industry, transportation and communication sectors.

The main Tajikistan’s export articles are: electric power, cotton, aluminum and aluminum products, fruit and vegetable production, as well as textile materials.

The main import articles from Kazakhstan are grain and flour products. Oil products, ferrous products, inorganic chemistry products are imported in sufficient amounts.

Countries cooperate in joint use of water resources of the region. Kazakhstan has a certain interest in the rich hydro energy resources of Tajikistan, which can be used in national interests of all Central Asian countries on the mutually beneficial basis.

An agreement on creation of Kazakh-Tajik Direct Investments Fund was reached during the official visit of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Republic of Tajikistan on 12-13 September, 2007, and during the meeting of the heads of two friendly states, the President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon with the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev.

Kazakh-Tajik Direct Investments Fund is aimed at realization of recoupment-able and effective investment projects in the territory of the Republic of Tajikistan and the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as abroad under mutual agreement between the sides.

Cultural and humanitarian cooperation between two countries is developing in the positive course, which is typical for Tajik-Kazakh relations. Delegations of both countries constantly take part in all-level events, organized by each other in cultural, scientific and technical areas.

In General, the dynamics of development of bilateral Tajik-Kazakhstan relations shows that the parties are interested in deepening mutually beneficial trade and economic ties and strengthening their political contacts. The mutual aspiration of the sides towards the development of bilateral cooperation in the spirit of mutual trust and partnership is observed.