DUSHANBE, November 15, 2012, Asia-Plus — Representatives of a number of Austrian leading companies are meeting with Tajik entrepreneurs in Dushanbe today and tomorrow.
An Austrian delegation, led by Dr. Heinz Walter, Regional Director CIS, Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, arrived in Tajikistan Thursday morning for a two-day working visit. They are scheduled to meet with senior representatives of Tajik companies to discuss ways to expand mutually beneficial economic ties between Tajikistan and Austria.
According to the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (MoEDT), the Austrian delegation members met with Tajik Minister of Economic Development and Trade Sharif Rahimzoda Thursday morning.
“The main purpose of the visit is for the Austrian delegation to discuss with Tajik officials and businesspeople potential for bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Austria as well as expansion of economic ties between the two countries,” said an official source at a MoEDT. “The delegation consists of representatives from 18 Austrian companies.”
The Austrian delegation members, in particular, include representatives of internationally known companies such as Andtritz Hydro GmbH (supplying electro-mechanical equipment for hydropower plants), Engel Austria GmbH (plastic processing technology), Kapsch TrafficCom AG (development, implementation and operation of smart traffic telematics solutions), Norbert Schaller GesmbH (equipment for the food industry, technological planning), Schrack Seconet AG (fire alarm systems, communications systems and multimedia solutions), AVK GmbH (the company plans and delivers all sorts of sports equipment for universal game-sports halls), etc.
The Austrian Federal Economic Chamber coordinates and represents the interests of the Austrian business community on a national and international level. Within the Austrian Economic Chambers’ system it functions as the national umbrella organization for the nine State Chambers (one in each of Austria”s federal State) and 110 trade associations for different industries.
According to data of the Agency for Statistics under the President of Tajikistan, a two-way trade between Tajikistan and Austria over the first eight months of this year has amounted to little more than 2.7 million U.S. dollars, which is 22.9 percent more than in the same period last year. In 2011, Tajikistan-Austrian trade amounted to some 5 million U.S. dollars.
