Relasyon Uzbek-Tajik: yon nouvo peryòd kwasans

Comprehensive development of relations with the nearest neighbors is a priority of Uzbekistan's foreign policy. Tajikistan is one of the geographically inseparable neighbors of Uzbekistan. The peoples of the countries are spiritually and culturally close to each other, profess the same faith. Everyday life, art, traditions and customs are intertwined into one single whole. They are united by a common history and values, mutual respect and centuries-old good neighborhood. This is a solid foundation for Uzbek-Tajik relations. The fraternal peoples of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan respect each other's cultural and humanitarian heritage - writes Dr.Obid Khakimov, Director of CERR.

As President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has repeatedly noted, “Uzbeks and Tajiks are bound by special ties of brotherhood and it is impossible to imagine these peoples apart. Great scientists and thinkers like Alisher Navoi and Abd al-Rahman Jami, Abdurauf Fitrat and Sadriddin Ayni, Gafur Gulom and Mirzo Tursunzoda, Abdulla Aripov and Loiq Sher-Ali celebrated the sincere and pure friendship of Uzbeks and Tajiks”. The erecting of the monument to Abd al-Rahman Jami in Samarkand and the monument to Alisher Navoi in Dushanbe was met with great joy both in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

The Republican Tajik National Cultural Center, which unites 15 Tajik national cultural centers throughout the country, is successfully operating in Uzbekistan. There are 250 schools with the Tajik language of instruction (55 of which are completely with the Tajik language of instruction). Samarkand, Termez and Ferghana Universities teach in Tajik. Four periodicals are published in Tajik, 5 TV programs and 30 radio programs are broadcast.

30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations

This year Uzbekistan and Tajikistan celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. The legal basis of Uzbek-Tajik cooperation consists of 256 documents signed at various levels. At the same time, 153, that is, 60% of them were adopted only in the last five years. The main documents are the Treaty of Friendship, Good-Neighborhood and Cooperation (on January 4, 1993), the Treaty of Eternal Friendship (on June 15, 2000) and the Strategic Partnership Agreement (on August 17, 2018), which define the basic principles of bilateral relations. This means mutual respect for independence and state sovereignty, equality, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, striving for mutually beneficial economic partnership both at the state level and at the level of business entities.

Five years ago, relations between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan entered a new stage of their development. A new page in bilateral relations was opened by the mutual state visits of the Presidents of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan in 2018, which defined new goals and prospects in the interests of the two peoples, became a factor in expanding and deepening large-scale bilateral cooperation in political, trade, economic, transport, communication, cultural and humanitarian spheres.

Bold and extraordinary steps, pragmatic and far-sighted policy of the President of Uzbekistan allowed to revise the policies of both sides. The striving towards each other has strengthened, barriers have been removed, contacts have intensified and mutually acceptable productive cooperation has been established. The most painful topics that have accumulated over those years have been resolved. Almost all border issues have been removed. At the level of the heads of state and government of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, there are now no fundamental problematic issues of bilateral relations.

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At present, due to the political will and joint efforts of the Presidents of the two countries, important steps are being taken to define and implement a strategy for further development of relations. Parliamentary diplomacy plays a significant role, which is an important foreign policy resource in fulfilling the tasks of strengthening bilateral relations, especially regional cooperation.

Taking into account the signing in 2018 the Agreement on mutual travel of citizens of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, the visa regime between two countries was abolished and 17 checkpoints were opened. This work has played a significant role in the development of bilateral ties in the regional context, made life easier for millions of citizens on both sides, served as a prerequisite for the development of tourism in both Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. It allows to intensify cooperation in the implementation of the “Ziyorat Tourism” projects also in the framework of joint work to promote the “Silk Road” tourism brand.

Agreements on the integrated use of water and energy resources of transboundary rivers are also a positive result of the updated foreign policy of the President of Uzbekistan. The main achievement in this was that Uzbekistan and Tajikistan share a common opinion on the need for rational and equitable use of water and energy resources, taking into account the interests of the countries of the region.

Tajikistan supports the new regional policy of Uzbekistan. According to foreign experts, the constructive nature of Uzbek-Tajik relations in this area can have a positive impact on regional efforts to ensure water security in Central Asia.

Cooperation in issues of nature protection and the environment are also relevant. It is known that global warming has a negative impact on the ecology of the Central Asian region. Therefore, it is important to unite the efforts of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, and in general all the countries of the region to prevent an environmental catastrophe. It is necessary to continue joint political and diplomatic steps to protect the common interests of the countries of the region.

Growth and development of trade and economic relations

Tajikistan is one of the 10 main trade and economic partners of Uzbekistan. In 2021, 92 agreements and contracts for the supply of goods worth $202.5 million were signed. In particular, 83 contracts worth about $162.2 million and 5 import contracts worth $40.3 million were signed for the export of Uzbek goods. As a result, the volume of bilateral trade in 2021 compared to 2016 ($196.8 million) has grown more than 3 times. This is the highest figure in the last 25 years.

In 2021, the trade turnover amounted to $605.5 million (+22.6%): exports – $501.9 million (+23.6%), imports – $103.6 million (+17.8%). In January-April 2022 – $187.7 million (+34.8%), of which: exports – $138.5 million (+13.8%), imports – $49.2 million (in 2.8 times). A free trade regime has been established between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, which will bring the volume of trade to $1 billion.

The parties are actively implementing Uzbek-Tajik investment projects worth $195.4 million, which were identified in 2021. A free trade regime has been established between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, which will bring the volume of trade to $1 billion.

The number of Uzbek-Tajik joint ventures has grown. They cover trade, the production of building materials, the food industry and other areas. There are 219 companies with Tajik capital in Uzbekistan (119 joint ventures and 100 sole proprietors). There are 51 companies operating on the territory of Tajikistan with the participation of residents of Uzbekistan.

An important role in strengthening industrial cooperation is assigned to the work of an Uzbek-Tajik investment company with an authorized capital of $50 million. At the initiative of the leaders of two countries, joint ventures “Artel Avesto Electronics” for the production of household appliances and “Talco-Kantas” for the assembly and commissioning of special utility and construction vehicles were established in Tajikistan within its framework.

According to experts of the Center for Economic Research and Reforms under the Administration of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan (CERR), the expansion of cooperative ties between enterprises and the creation of joint productions in the presence of large volumes of raw materials, for example agricultural, will increase the competitiveness of products by attracting modern technologies and narrow specialization.

Transport and transit opportunities at a new stage

The favorable geographical location and developed transport infrastructure of Uzbekistan allow Tajikistan to diversify its access to foreign markets. Tajikistan has gained additional opportunities for the development of its economy by using Uzbekistan's more developed communication network (railway, automobile and air links) to export its goods to Russia and EU countries and transport goods from China to Uzbekistan. The full use of the common transport potential, as well as the activation of automobile routes, including through Tajikistan to China, will not only increase mutual trade, but also strengthen humanitarian ties at the interregional level. In this context, the Uzbekistan-Tajikistan-China corridor development project has good prerequisites.

Tashkent-Khujand and Kokand-Shaidon bus services, a section of the Samarkand-Penjikent highway, Tashkent-Dushanbe flights, Galaba-Amuzang-Khushadi railway service have been resumed. Samarkand and Penjikent are planned to be connected by a railway line. Flights Dushanbe - Samarkand and Dushanbe - Bukhara are resumed.

In 2021, the volume of international rail cargo transportation amounted to 6.7 million tons (+15%), in 2020 – 5.8 million tons (+8.6%). The volume of international road cargo transportation last year – 1.3 million tons (+1.8%), in 2020 – 408.2 thousand tons. According to the results of last year, Uzbekistan Airways JSC performed 440 regular flights (+10%), transported 46.6 thousand passengers (+10.7%) and 113 tons of cargo (+3.3%). New realities have created favorable opportunities for further expansion of political, trade and economic, transport and communication, cultural and humanitarian ties between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

Today, led by the Presidents, the countries demonstrate a strong desire to consistently develop and strengthen multilateral partnership, as well as to reach new heights. Foreign experts predict further positive development of Uzbek-Tajik relations, which will make a significant contribution to the sustainable development of Central Asia.

According to CERR experts, the process of complementarity of the economies that has begun (gas and fuel and lubricants supplies to Tajikistan from Uzbekistan, electricity from Tajikistan to Uzbekistan and beyond) will further influence the rapid growth of trade and economic cooperation and remain an additional mechanism for ensuring stable socio-economic development of both countries.

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In the framework of the visit of the President of Tajikistanto Uzbekistan, it is planned to adopt a package of documents that will significantly expand the legal framework of bilateral relations and will be an important step towards further development and strengthening of cooperation between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

The analysis of CERR experts shows the existing opportunities for further deepening cooperation in the field of investment, light industry, agriculture, transport, interregional relations, digitalization of the economies of countries, expansion of cooperation between scientific and academic circles and cultural exchanges. Among the promising areas of bilateral relations are sericulture, cocoon processing, silk fabric production, as well as the exchange of designers' experience.

According to Tajik experts, there are dozens of explored mineral deposits in the Aini region of the Republic of Tajikistan. The Tajik side is interested in attracting Uzbek business to develop them.

From the point of view of the cardinal changes that have taken place in Uzbek-Tajik relations, of course, the upcoming meeting of the Presidents of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan will open up new prospects for further development of mutually beneficial cooperation and bring multifaceted interaction to a qualitatively different level, which will undoubtedly contribute to improving the well-being of the peoples of the two countries.

Otè a, Dr.Obid Khakimov, Se Director of CERR

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