Federal Councillor Calmy-Rey holds political talks in Douchanbé

Together with Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan is a priority area for Swiss development cooperation. The aim is above all to improve water management in the Fergana Valley, an ethnically and politically highly complex region divided by the borders of the three above-mentioned states. By helping to make more rational use of water both for crop irrigation and for energy production, Switzerland is contributing to the stability of the region. 

The two ministers of foreign affairs also discussed cooperation in multilateral organisations, notably their common voting group in the Bretton Woods institutions (International Monetary Fund, World Bank). 

The two countries are about to start a human rights dialogue. Switzerland already holds dialogues of this type with other countries, Vietnam for example. The dialogue will go hand in hand with specific projects.  

Mrs Calmy-Rey and Mr Zarifi agreed to intensify efforts to create the basis for good economic relations between the two countries. Switzerland wishes in particular that the agreement on the reciprocal protection of investments signed in June 2009, should be quickly ratified by Tajikistan. Switzerland also proposed the opening of discussions on a future economic cooperation agreement. Mrs Calmy-Rey then left  Douchanbé for Kazakhstan, the third stage of her journey to Central Asia.

Further information:

Dossier: Trip to Central Asia from 4 to 9 October 2009
Bilateral relations between Switzerland and Tajikistan
Swiss cooperation in Central Asia

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