Co-chaired by Tajik Prime Minister Qohir Rasoulzoda and Russia Deputy Prime Minister Aleskei Overchuk, the 17th session of the Tajikistan-Russia intergovernmental commission for trade and economic cooperation took place in Moscow from February 8-9.

According to the Tajik MFA information department, the parties discussed a wide range of issues related to political, economic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation between Tajikistan and Russian Federation.

They also discussed in details labor migration cooperation between the two countries and the Tajik delegation reportedly touched upon the issue of legal status of members of migrants’ families and Tajik students studying in Russia.

The Tajik delegation asked the Russian side to consider the possibility of amnestying Tajik citizens who had been deported from Russia in recent years.  It was noted that most of the Tajik nationals, who have been barred from returning to Russia for five years, were punished for minor administrative offenses such as failing to register within the appointed time.  

Taking into account the improvement of the sanitary and epidemiological situation in Tajikistan, the Tajik delegation reportedly invited the Russian side to resume regular air traffic between the two countries as soon as possible.  

The air traffic between Tajikistan and Russia has been suspended since March 20, 2020 due to the coronavirus crisis. 

The parties reportedly agreed to take necessary measures to expand economic cooperation between Tajikistan and Russia and the Russian side was invited to actively participate in launching joint ventures in free economic zones in Tajikistan and on the basis of industrial enterprises operating in the country.   

The delegations also exchanged views on ways to expand cultural and humanitarian cooperation between Tajikistan and Russia, including construction of Russian-language schools in Tajikistan.