On Friday May 13, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon received Maulen Ashimbayev, the Chair and the member of the Senate of Kazakhstan (Kazakhstan’s upper chamber of parliament).

According to the Tajik president’s official website, Rahmon, in particular, noted at the meeting that expansion of strategic partnership with Kazakhstan is one of priorities of Tajikistan’s foreign policy.

The parties reportedly expressed satisfaction with the current level of relationships between the two countries, especially with the reliable dialogue at the highest political level and constructive collaboration.  

It was noted that Kazakhstan is one major trading partners of Tajikistan.

Last year, the bilateral trade between Tajikistan and Kazakhstan valued at more than 1 billion U.S. dollars, a 30-percent increase compared to 2020. 

Rahmon and Ashimbayev also discussed cooperation between the two countries within regional and international relations. 

They also exchanged views on a number of regional and international issues being of mutual interest, including the current situation in Afghanistan and providing regional security.

Maulen Ashimbayev (born January 28, 1971) is a Kazakh politician serving as the Chair and the member of the Senate of Kazakhstan.  He served as the First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration from 2019 to 2020, Assistant to the President of Kazakhstan in 2019, First Deputy Chairman of Nur Otan from 2018 to 2019 and member of Mazhilis from 2016 to 2018.

The Senate of Kazakhstan is the upper house of two chambers in Kazakhstan's legislature, known as the Parliament (Parlamenti).  The Senate is composed of elected members: two from each region and two from three municipalities which are Almaty, Nur-Sultan, and Shymkent.

Members of the Senate are elected on the basis of indirect suffrage by secret ballot.  Half of elected members of the Senate are up for election every three years.  Fifteen members are appointed by the President of Kazakhstan with the view to ensure representation for all the diverse national, cultural components of society.  The term of office for the members of the Senate is six years.

The Chair of the Senate is a person elected by the Senate among the MP's by a secret ballot.  The candidature on the post of the Chair is nominated by the President of Kazakhstan.