DUSHANBE, April 12, Asia-Plus – President Emomali Rahmon has called on the business community in Dubai to visit Tajikistan and explore the investment opportunities available in its natural resources and other economic sectors, presidential press service said.
He remarked this yesterday, addressing the First UAE-Tajikistan Business Forum organized by Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He noted that Tajik government is interested in sustain bilateral trade with Dubai.
Tajik high-ranking delegation that included more than 50 Tajikistani ministers, officials, diplomats, businessmen, investors and major economic figures attended the forum that was held at the Dubai Chamber.
Addressing the forum, Rahmon noted that three free economic zones will be established in Tajikistan. He noted that more than 60 investment projects, totaling some $4 billion, are currently being implemented in the country and outlined hydropower, development and processing of natural resources and tourism as areas of which could drive the bilateral trade between Tajikistan and the United Arab Emirates.
President Rahmon pointed out that his visit aims at activating the bilateral economic relations between the two countries and attracting UAE investors to Tajikistan, which offers them several encouraging business incentives.
According to presidential press service, the UAE businessmen were interested in large projects in energy sector, mining, processing of cotton and other farm produces, and mountain tourism.
In the meantime, Khaleej News Online said that Obaid Humaid Al Tayer, Chairman of Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, addressing the forum said, “The bilateral trade between Dubai and Tajikistan needs to be improved as Dubai”s non-oil trade with Tajikistan reached Dh 47.7 million in 2006. The visit of the Tajikistan president to Dubai, and his participation in the First UAE-Tajikistan Business Forum, would highly help increase the bilateral trade between the two countries, as well as the number of Tajikistan companies in the UAE,”
He expressed the chamber”s readiness to extend help to Tajikistani businessmen in Dubai, asking the Tajikistani delegation to learn more about Dubai”s investment opportunities and its mega projects.
According Tajikistan’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Tajik delegation was represented at the forum by top managers of the enterprises of food and light industries such as Nafisa, Textile, HIMA, Asali Tojik, Khujand cannery as well as Tajik Telecom (Tajikistan’s national telecommunications operator), and a number of commercial banks, including OryonBonk, AgroInvestBonk and TojikSodirotBonk.
