DUSHANBE (TCA) — Tajikistan President Emomali Rakhmon met with the King of Saudi Arabia Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in Riyadh City on January 3.
The two leaders discussed ways to boost and expand bilateral political, economic, trade, investment, and cultural ties, as well as ensuring of regional security and stability, the press service of the Tajik president said.
“We in Tajikistan consider Saudi Arabia as our important partner in the Arab world and Middle East, and we take constant interest in the development and strengthening of wide-ranging relations with your country,” Rakhmon said during the meeting with the King of Saudi Arabia.
It was stressed that Tajikistan and Saudi Arabia can establish a mutually acceptable, fruitful cooperation in the security domain, in particular in the fight against transnational organized crime, terrorism, extremism, and illegal drug trafficking.
Rakhmon acknowledged the economic ties and financial support of Saudi Arabia with regards to the implementation of several infrastructure projects in Tajikistan, including the reconstruction of automobile road Kulob-Kalai Khumb and construction of several schools and hospitals, but at the same time highlighted that “our economic cooperation still does not meet current potential and opportunities of our countries”.
The Tajik president spoke for more participation of Saudi Arabia in the financing of regional energy and hydropower projects, as well as extraction and processing of minerals and irrigation of farmland.
President Rakhmon also met with the Minister of Finance of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, President of Governing Council of the Saudi Fund for Development Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz Al Assaf.
The meeting discussed strengthening of economic, trade, financial and investment cooperation.
It was stressed that the financial and charity fund of Saudi Arabia – the Saudi Fund for Development, which operates in Tajikistan since 2002, has signed credit agreements with the Government of Tajikistan for the amount of $84 million. This funding is aimed mainly at the development of the spheres of education, health, construction of roads and maternity hospitals in Tajikistan.
