DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, March 15. Just like in Ashgabat and Astana, my day here in Dushanbe was filled with meetings dedicated to strengthening cooperation between the EU and Tajikistan under the Global Gateway strategy, wrote European Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jozef Síkela, on X, Trend reports.
In the course of the visit, Síkela met with the President of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon. During discussions on sustainable development, both sides focused on the development of renewable energy sources, especially hydropower. According to Síkela, this will provide clean electricity to millions of people and turn Tajikistan into a regional energy exporter.
"We discussed how to develop renewable energy sources to provide the country with clean electricity and elevate Tajikistan to a new level as an important player in the energy market," he noted.
In addition, the European Commissioner held meetings with Tajikistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Usmonali Usmonzoda, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sirodjidin Muhriddin, and Minister of Energy Daler Juma. The sides discussed ways to stimulate regional trade and improve infrastructure to strengthen Tajikistan's connections with neighboring countries and global markets.
The signing of an agreement with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to modernize Tajikistan's energy system to the tune of 20 million euros was an important outcome of the visit. The following project, Sikela explained, will focus on improving the productivity and sustainability of the cotton industry. The program, funded by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) with a $20 million budget, also aims to boost the country's efforts to adapt to climate change.
This visit marked an important step in fostering cooperation between Tajikistan and the EU, especially in the field of energy and sustainable development.