DUSHANBE, July 20, 2016, Asia-Plus – On Tuesday July 19, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon received visiting Governor of Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Valery Shantsev.
According to the Tajik president’s official website, the two sides discussed a broad range of issues related to state and prospects of further expansion of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and the Russian Federation, including cooperation between the regions of the two countries.
Rahmon, in particular, noted that Tajikistan was interested in further expansion of cooperation with the Russian Federation.
“Tajikistan attaches significance to cooperation with the Russian Federation and partnership between our countries strengthens bilateral and regional strategic relations,” Rahmon said.
Rahmon and Shantsev also exchanged views on expansion of cooperation between Tajikistan and Nizhny Novgorod Oblast in different fields. Industry, agriculture, education, science, and tourism were outlined as areas that could drive a two-way trade between Tajikistan and Nizhny Novgorod Oblast.
They also touched upon issues related to the labor migration cooperation between Tajikistan and Russia.
Valery Shantsev, heading a business delegation of Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, arrived in Dushanbe yesterday for a five-day visit.
While in Dushanbe, the delegation will also hold talks with Dushanbe Mayor Mahmadsaid Ubaidulloyev and some other high-ranking Tajik state officials.
The delegation members are also expected to hold talks with representatives of Tajikistan’s business community to discuss cooperation issues.
They will also visit the northern Sughd province, where they will hold talks with Sughd governor, Khujand mayor and local businesspeople.
Nizhny Novgorod Oblast is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast) with a population of 3,310,597 (2010 Census). Its administrative center is the city of Nizhny Novgorod, which is the fifth-largest city in Russia.
Nizhny Novgorod Oblast is not rich in natural resources, which are limited to commercial deposits of sand (including titanium-zirconium sands), clay, gypsum, peat, mineral salt, and timber.
The oblast ranks seventh in Russia in industrial output. Processing industries predominate in the local economy. More than 650 industrial companies employ nearly 700,000 people, or 62% of the workforce involved in material production. Industry generates 83% of the regional GDP and accounts for 89% of all material expenditures. The leading sectors are engineering and metalworking, followed by chemical and petrochemical industries and forestry, woodworking, and paper industries. The first three sectors account for about 75% of all industrial production.
