The 6th session of the EU-Tajikistan Cooperation Council took place in Brussels on May 15.
According to the Tajik MFA information department, Tajikistan’s delegation was headed by Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Aslov and European Union (EU)’s delegation was headed by George Vella, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Malta.
The meeting’s agenda reportedly covered key aspects of partnership and cooperation between the European Union and Tajikistan, political and economic issues, human rights problems as well as international and regional problems.
The meeting, in particular, discussed state and prospects of further expansion of trade between Tajikistan and the European Union countries, implementation of Tajikistan’s national poverty reduction strategy.
Besides, the sides discussed issues related to water and energy problems, border control management, fight against terrorism and extremism, human rights and supremacy of law.
They also exchanged views on a number of international and regional issues being of mutual interest.
Meanwhile, the European Commission notes that in the Cooperation Council the EU and Tajikistan took stock of progress made since the fifth Cooperation Council in February 2016, discussed the political, economic and socio-economic developments in Tajikistan and review the key aspects of the implementation of the EU-Central Asia Strategy.
The EU reportedly welcomes the progress made in cooperation under the EU’s Central Asia Strategy and Tajikistan's close cooperation with the EU and other international actors in the reform process. The EU invites Tajikistan to implement a political reform agenda, to reestablish a degree of openness of the political space and to reverse restrictions on the valuable work of NGOs.
