President Emomali Rahmon yesterday afternoon received Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, who arrived in Dushanbe yesterday on a two-day working visit. 

According to the Tajik president’s official website, the parties discussed a broad range of issues related to state and prospects of further expansion of the bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and the Russian Federation.  

They reportedly noted with satisfaction the positive dynamics in political, economic and humanitarian cooperation between the two countries as well as close collaboration between them in the field of security collaboration.  

The Tajik president’s official website emphasizes that the Russian Federation remains the main trading partner of Tajikistan.  

A two-way trade between Tajikistan and Russia rose 23.4 percent in year to December 31, 2022, reaching 1.674 billion US dollars.  

It is to be noted that last month, Russia was the major trading partner of Tajikistan – 22 percent of the overall volume of Tajikistan’s external trade turnover (4.0-ercent decrease compared to January 2022).  

In this context, the parties reportedly noted that both countries have great potential for increasing the bilateral trade and jointly implementing large investment projects in Tajikistan on a mutually beneficial basis.  

Emomali Rahmon highly appraised the current level of cooperation in the humanitarian field, according to the Tajik president’s official website.

At the same time, interest was expressed in further expansion of practical ties in educational, cultural and health sectors.  

The parties also exchanged views on a number of international and regional issues being of mutual interest.  

Diplomatic relations between Tajikistan and Russia were established on April, 1992.  Russia’s Embassy was opened in Dushanbe on May 4, 1992.  On May 25, 1993, a Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance was signed between the two countries.  On June 8, 1993 the permanent mission of Tajikistan in Moscow was transformed into Permanent Mission of Tajikistan in the Russian Federation, and the Embassy of Tajikistan was opened on its base in Moscow on December 18, 1993.  

Both countries are close allies and members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the military alliance formed by the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). Tajikistan hosts Russia's largest non-naval military facility outside the Russian Federation.

Tajikistan and Russia work closely together in issues concerning Afghanistan and are partners in anti-terrorism and anti-narcotics operations.