The embassy of Tajikistan hosted a reception in Ashgabat on 18 September 2024 to mark the Independence Day of Tajikistan.
DPM Batyr Atdaev represented the government of Turkmenistan.
Here is the speech of Ambassador Vafo Niyatbekzoda on the occasion:
Your Excellency Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan, Mr. Atdaev Batyr Taganovich, Dear compatriots, Distinguished heads and representatives of the diplomatic corps and international organizations, Dear guests, Ladies and Gentlemen!
It gives me great pleasure to welcome all of you and thank you for your participation in today’s event dedicated to the 33rd Anniversary Independence Day of the Republic of Tajikistan.
September 9, 1991 is a significant date, which is written with golden letters on the pages of the history of our Motherland, and it is the greatest and most sacred holiday for the entire Tajik people.
Today, the Republic of Tajikistan is not only a country with a rich cultural heritage and unique traditions, but also a dynamically developing state that strives for prosperity and stability.
Over the past 33 years, the people of Tajikistan, under the wise leadership of the Founder of Peace and National Unity, the Leader of the Nation, the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, H.E. Mr. Emomali Rahmon, have made significant steps forward in the field of social and economic development, strengthening the country’s domestic and foreign policy.
The country’s economic development has become one of the key priorities of state policy.
Today, real results can be seen in all areas of the country, including health and social protection of the population, education and science, culture, employment, work with youth, sports and dozens of other areas, which have significantly influenced the improvement of the standard and quality of our people’s life.
During the independence period, the Government of the country built roads, bridges and tunnels, hydroelectric power stations, hundreds of small and large industrial enterprises, laid the foundation for a modern communications, energy and industrial infrastructure of the country, and created a unified energy system.
The transport and communications component of the country’s socio-economic foundation is actively developing. In recent years, thousands of kilometers of roads, highways and bridges have been revived and built in accordance with international standards with access to neighboring countries.
Dear guests,
It is gratifying that the promotion of the “Open door” policy during the period of independence has given us the opportunity to establish friendly relations and mutually beneficial cooperation with all countries and international organizations.
The Tajik people are proud of the fact that to date, a number of Tajikistan’s initiatives have been supported by the international community, especially the United Nations, and are being implemented on a global scale.
Among the most recent achievements, it is necessary to note the Declaration of 2025 as the “International Year of Glaciers”, the proclamation of March 21 of each year as “World Glacier Day”, starting from 2025, and the creation of the “International Glacier Preservation Fund”.
On August 13, 2024, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted the Resolution “Decade of Action in Support of Cryospheric Sciences for period of 2025-2034”, which was proposed by the Republic of Tajikistan jointly with the French Republic.
Also on May 7, 2024, the UN General Assembly during the 80th plenary session of the UNGA unanimously adopted the Resolution “World Football Day”, developed and promoted by the Republic of Tajikistan, the Kingdom of Bahrain and the State of Libya and decided to proclaim May 25 as “World Football Day”.
Dear guests,
The promotion of the “Open door” policy during the period of independence made it possible to establish friendly relations and mutually beneficial cooperation with all countries of the world, including Neutral Turkmenistan, as well.
It should be noted that the development and strengthening of friendly cooperation with Turkmenistan is an important aspect in Tajikistan’s foreign policy.
Bilateral relations between the Republic of Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, based on the principles of deep strategic partnership, are developing on the basis of mutual respect, partnership and the desire to strengthen cooperation.
The high level of bilateral cooperation is based on the trusting relations between the Founder of Peace and National Unity, the Leader of the Nation, the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, H.E. Mr. Emomali Rahmon and the President of Turkmenistan, H.E. Mr. Serdar Berdimuhamedov, as well as the National Leader of the Turkmen people, the Chairman of the Halk Maslahati Turkmenistan H.E. Mr. Berdimuhamedov Gurbanguly.
Regular meetings at the highest levels, a meaningful agenda of bilateral relations, a stable contractual and legal basis – all this clearly indicates the strong political will of Tajikistan and Turkmenistan to further strengthen the strategic partnership.
It is important to emphasize that in 2021, the President of the Republic of Tajikistan H.E. Emomali Rahmon twice visited Turkmenistan and in 2023 he made a working visit to Ashgabat to participate in the Summit of the Heads of states of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
Tajikistan highly appreciates the first state visit of the President of Turkmenistan, His Excellency Serdar Berdimuhamedov to the Republic of Tajikistan (May 10-11, 2023), the practical results of which marked the beginning of a qualitatively new stage of strategic partnership and significantly expanded the horizons of bilateral cooperation.
It is also necessary to note the results of the working visit of the President of Turkmenistan, H.E. Serdar Berdimuhamedov to Tajikistan to participate in the 5th Anniversary Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia and the next Meeting of the Council of the Heads of the Founding States of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, which took place in Dushanbe on September 14-15, 2023.
It worth to mention that Tajikistan highly appreciates the results of the official visit of the National Leader of the Turkmen people, the Chairman of the Halk Maslahati Turkmenistan H.E. Mr. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to our country in April 2024, which opened a new milestone in bilateral relations and gave additional impetus to Tajik-Turkmen links.
One of the most important events of this year is the ceremonial commissioning of the secondary school named after Magtymguly Pyragy in Dosti district of Khatlon region of the Republic of Tajikistan in early September.
The implementation of this socially significant project has become another evidence of the strong friendship between the fraternal peoples of our countries.
In general, measures are being taken between the two countries to develop and strengthen cooperation in the fields of education, science and technology, culture and art, healthcare, sports and tourism.
Particular importance is attached to the development and strengthening of bilateral cultural ties. Days of Culture of the two countries are held on a regular basis in Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
In conclusion, I would like to note that Tajikistan has a positive outlook on the prospects for the development of Tajik-Turkmen relations, which are always given special priority.
We are deeply convinced that further strengthening of Tajik-Turkmen cooperation meets the fundamental interests of the peoples of the two countries.
I would like to thank everyone for participating in our today’s event and wish you happiness and prosperity.
Thank you for your attention. /// nCa, 19 September 2024
Here are some pictures from the event:
