A forum in Tajikistan: mutually beneficial ties and contracts

№ 4, 2022
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Productive and eventful negotiations, new contacts and agreements, contracts worth almost 50 million US dollars – these are the results of the visit of a Belarusian business delegation to Tajikistan on October 11–12. The business program of the visit, which coincided with the official visit of the President of the Republic of Belarus to Dushanbe, included the Tajikistan-Belarus business forum, the Made in Belarus exhibition of Belarusian manufacturers, visits to enterprises and organizations in Tajikistan. The organizers of the events were the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the State Committee for Investments and State Property Management of the Republic of Tajikistan and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Tajikistan.

The Belarusian business delegation included heads and representatives of 73 domestic companies from diverse sectors – engineering, metallurgy, woodworking, food and light industries, etc.

The delegation members discussed a wide range of issues with the Tajik partners during the visit, including the opportunities to increase trade, expand industrial cooperation and the range of jointly produced equipment with the prospect of entering the markets of other countries in the region, increasing the supply of equipment for the needs of agricultural complexes in Tajikistan, attracting investments and technologies from Belarus to cotton processing companies in Tajikistan, joint production of dairy and meat products, carpets, the implementation of educational projects, the participation of Belarusian IT companies in the Safe City program in Dushanbe, cooperation in the construction industry. The roadmap for the development of cooperation until 2026 was signed, which affects partnership in the fields of culture, tourism, education and science alongside the economic issues.

The Tajikistan-Belarus business forum, hosted by Hyatt Regency Dushanbe on the 11th of October, was the hallmark of the visit. Participating in the event were the Chairman of the State ­Committee for Investments and State Property Management of the Republic of ­Tajikistan Sadi Qodirzoda, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Tajikistan Jamshed Jumakhonzoda, Chairman of the BelCCI Mikhael Miatlikov, Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Tajikistan Sadi Qarimzoda, Minister of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Belarus Igor Brylo, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Tajikistan Viktor Denisenko, members of the official delegation of the Republic of Belarus, heads and representatives of more than 150 enterprises and organizations of the two countries.96_03_02.jpg

During the forum, possible ways of expanding the Belarus-Tajikistan trade, economic and investment cooperation in various sectors were considered. There were presentations of the export potential of Belarusian and Tajik companies, export credit tools offered by the banking structures of the two countries, promising joint projects, including at a regional level.

The participants noted that Belarus and Tajikistan are interested in developing partnerships in all areas, with the main focus being placed on economic ties. The existing level of trade turnover does not meet the potential – therefore, it is necessary to develop it, expand the range of goods supplied by both countries, create new joint ventures in Tajikistan using Belarusian technologies and developments, and enter the markets of the countries neighboring to Tajikistan with finished products.

Addressing the participants, the Chairman of the BelCCI noted that the visit and the forum are a logical continuation of the successful cooperation between the business circles of the two countries. "The Belarusian delegation that has arrived in Tajikistan is impressive, it includes heads and representatives of enterprises and organizations from all regions of the country, operating in different sectors," Mikhael Miatlikov said. "The Belarusian business is seriously interested in cooperation, and it has much to offer the Tajik companies."

The Chairman of the BelCCI also drew attention to the large number of participants from Tajikistan, which indicates the interest of the host side in cooperation, establishing contacts with Belarusian manufacturers. He invited the business community of Tajikistan to organize a national exhibition, as well as to participate in major international exhibition projects in Belarus next year, emphasizing that the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry will provide every kind of assistance to the Tajik partners in Belarus.

Representatives of enterprises and organizations from Belarus and Tajikistan signed over 20 documents, including commercial contracts for a total of about 46 million US dollars. Agreements for another 2 million US dollars were secured during online negotiations.

After the forum, the work of the official delegation and representatives of the Belarusian business continued at the Made in Belarus exhibition of Belarusian manufacturers, which had become the largest exhibition event of Belarus in Tajikistan in recent years and presented a wide range of domestic goods: agricultural machinery, automotive products, building materials, woodworking products, developments and services in the fields of science and education, healthcare goods and pharmaceuticals, chemical and petrochemical products, textiles and finished light industry items. Products from Belarus drew considerable interest and were highly appreciated by existing and potential partners and residents
of Tajikistan.

The business day was concluded by B2B negotiations, where useful business contacts were also established, and specific agreements were reached to provide the basis for new mutually beneficial contracts.

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