President Mamnoon Hussain arrives in Tajikistan on official visit

DUSHANBE: President Mamnoon Hussain was accorded a red carpet welcome as he arrived here Monday on a four-day official visit to Tajikistan to participate in the high-level international conference 'International Decade for Action: Water for Sustainable Development'.

Deputy Prime Minister of Tajikistan Zokor Zoda Mahmad Toir warmly received the president upon arrival at Dushanbe airport.

Pakistan’s Ambassador in Tajikistan, Tajikistan’s Ambassador in Pakistan and senior Embassy officials were also present on the occasion.

With a static guard standing along the red carpet rolled out for the president, a young Tajik girl clad in traditional costume also presented bouquet to him.

Besides attending the conference, President Mamnoon will also hold bilateral talks with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon.

The conference, being hosted by Tajikistan in cooperation with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) and other partners, will focus on sustainable development and integrated management of water resources for the achievement of social, economic and environmental objectives; implementation and promotion of related programmes and projects; and the furtherance of cooperation and partnerships at all levels in order to help achieve internationally agreed water-related goals and targets, including those contained in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

It will also highlight the importance of promoting the efficiency of water usage at all levels, taking into account the water, food, energy, environment nexus, including the implementation of national development programmes.

Pakistan’s Ambassador to Tajikistan Tariq Iqbal Soomro told APP that President Mamoon Hussain and President Emomali Rahmon during their talks will discuss the whole range of bilateral ties with a view to further strengthen and diversify these relations in different fields for mutual benefit.

He said as the current volume of annual bilateral trade between the two countries stood at around US $42 million (FY 2016-17) and did not commensurate with the strong political ties, the two leaders will discuss ways and means to boost bilateral trade level upto US $500. 

President Mamnoon, during his first visit to Tajikistan, will also hold meetings with the prime minister of Tajikistan as well as the Speaker of Lower House of Tajik Parliament.

Ambassador Soomro expressed hope that the visit of President Mamnoon Hussain, on the invitation of Tajik President, will further strengthen the already existing close and friendly relations between the two brotherly nations.

To a question, he said the water conference was first of the series that Tajikistan planned to hold on a bi-annual basis to facilitate implementation of the New Decade for Water for Sustainable Development.