MINSK, 28 April (BelTA) – Plans have been made to organize Tajik culture days in Belarus in August on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of Belarusian-Tajik diplomatic relations. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Tajikistan to Belarus Mahmadsharif Haqdod mentioned the plans during the Dialogue with the Ambassador meeting in the House of Friendship on 28 April, BelTA has learned.
The diplomat said that the Tajik side intends to broadly present the art of Tajikistan and arrange a series of events on the occasion of the anniversary. “5 September will mark 25 years since Belarus and Tajikistan established diplomatic relations. We intend to organize an international scientific conference that will sum up results of the bilateral relations in this period,” the ambassador said.
Mahmadsharif Haqdod pointed out that friendship between the two nations has a long history and dates back to the Soviet times. “The period of the joint fight for independence during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 was heroic. Many Tajiks fell in the Belarusian land. The historical friendship between the two nations is also reinforced by friendship between leaders of the two countries,” he pointed out.
The diplomat also stressed: “Tajikistan gained independence easily but it took a long time to defend it. A civil war lasted for years and inflicted huge losses on the country. The state grows now thanks to huge efforts of the people. The coronavirus infection affects all the processes in the current period but just like Belarus we didn't introduce major restrictions, we didn't close borders or enterprises. By the way, Belarus is the only country our university students could go for education. Education is a high priority for the development of Tajikistan. We intend to put every effort into increasing the number of university students. The population of Tajikistan grows by 2% every year, this is why the need for educational services will grow.”
The diplomat noted that Belarus-Tajikistan trade increased in 2020. “Trade is the key. The joint venture Agrotekhservis was opened in Tajikistan in 2018 to assemble Belarusian agricultural machines. The machines are sold directly to such countries as Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan,” the ambassador noted. He believes this manufacturing cooperation between the two countries is important.
Both countries maintain tight cooperation and similar views on the effectiveness of such organizations as the United Nations Organization, the Eurasian Economic Union, and the Collective Security Treaty Organization.
Students and professors of Minsk universities took part in the meeting with the ambassador. They asked a lot of questions concerning the development of Belarusian-Tajik cooperation and questions about Tajikistan.
