DUSHANBE, April 30, Asia-Plus — A meeting of the Tajik-Iranian commission for economic and trade cooperation will be held in Tehran, Iran from May 3-8.
According to information from the Ministry of Energy and Industries (MoEI), a government delegation to participate at the meeting will be led by Energy and Industries Minister Gul Sherali, who is co-chairman of the Tajik-Iranian economic commission.
“The commission is expected to consider issues related to bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Iran in the fields of commerce, attraction of investments, standardization and insurance,” said the MoEI source. “Besides, the sides will consider ways to expand bilateral cooperation in sectors like transit and transportation, banking and finance, aerial communication, energy and industries.”
The commission’s session is supposed to end with signing of a cooperation protocol.
According to figures provided by the State Committee for Statistics, trade between Tajikistan and Iran in January-March 2008 has valued at US$735 million, which is four times more than in the same period of last year. This consisted of Tajikistan’s exports to Iran estimated at US$39.4 million and Tajikistan’s imports from Iran worth US$34.4 million.
Over the report period, Tajikistan has exported, mainly, cotton, primary aluminum, and cocoons to Iran. A share of aluminum has accounted for 77 percent of Tajikistan’s exports to Iran in January-March 2008, and cotton has accounted for 21 percent.
Imports from Iran into Tajikistan include food products, fuel and lubricating materials, and plastic wares.
