Latest Articles about Tajikistan

RAHMON PROMISES ECONOMIC PROSPERITY IN TAJIKISTAN

In his annual address to parliament on April 30, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon outlined prospects for Tajikistan’s economic growth through 2015 within the National Development Strategy. Rahmon enjoys majority support in Tajikistan despite widespread corruption and elements of authoritarianism in his governance, and most Tajiks... MORE

TAJIKISTAN FORMING LINKS WITH SYRIA

On February 8 Tajikistan’s President Imomali Rakhmonov held bilateral meetings with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Rakhmonov was in Damascus as part of his current tour of the Middle East, which is aimed at encouraging economic relations between Tajikistan and the Arab world. However, his arrival... MORE

CHINA AND TAJIKISTAN SIGN NEW TREATY

On January 15 Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmonov arrived in Beijing for talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao. During this visit the two presidents signed a treaty on good neighborliness, friendship, and cooperation. Seemingly benign, fostering greater trade and economic cooperation as well as developing Tajikistan’s... MORE

TAJIKISTAN CLAIMS SUCCESS IN COUNTER-NARCOTICS OPERATION

Tajikistan is claiming success in its counter-narcotics capabilities based on its performance during the “Operation Channel 2006” program conducted among Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) countries October 9-15. In fact, during the second stage of these rapid response and preventative operations (the first stage was... MORE

TAJIKISTAN’S BILL ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOMS CURTAILS POLITICAL OPPOSITION

Tajikistan’s new bill on religious freedoms threatens to become the most rigid and illiberal regulation of its type in Central Asia. Developed in January 2006, “On Freedoms of Confessions and Religious Organizations” restricts religious education for children, curbs women’s rights to practice religious traditions, and... MORE

TAJIK OPPOSITION REMAINS QUIET AHEAD OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

With the presidential election campaign officially opened, Tajikistan’s major opposition parties are refusing to participate in the November 6 vote. To date, incumbent Tajik President Emomali Rahmonov is the only candidate likely to receive a majority of votes. The remaining four candidates are extremely weak... MORE

TAJIK PRESIDENT USES NATIONAL HOLIDAYS TO LAUNCH HIS RE-ELECTION BID

Tajik President Emomali Rahmonov is actively campaigning ahead of presidential elections scheduled for November 6. In the last two weeks, Rahmonov celebrated four national holidays before other candidates could legally announce their own participation. Under the president’s leadership, Tajikistan celebrated national independence day, the year... MORE

TAJIKISTAN: CORRUPTION MOUNTS AS PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS NEAR

With presidential elections in Tajikistan planned for this fall, the current president and leader of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Emomali Rahmonov, remains the only candidate. The opposition Islamic Renaissance Party will likely put forward its own candidate, although a Rahmonov victory is easily... MORE

TAJIKISTAN RETHINKS BORDER SECURITY

Tajikistan, painfully aware of the weaknesses within its border security structures, is embarking on key strategic and operational changes to the Tajik border guard service. These will be evident in the new level of cross-border cooperation with Afghanistan, which has been long overdue in Dushanbe’s... MORE