SEOUL, March 27 (AJP) - The President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, hosted President Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan for a landmark state visit on March 26 and 27, 2026, marking a significant transition in regional diplomacy, the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Seoul said Friday. The visit featured the first meeting of the Supreme Interstate Council, a new high-level body designed to move the relationship beyond occasional cooperation and into a permanent, systemic alliance.
During the talks, President Mirziyoyev and President Rahmon signed a Joint Statement on Deepening Strategic Partnership and Allied Relations. This agreement builds on the 2024 Treaty on Allied Relations and effectively signals that the two nations have moved past previous regional friction to focus on full-scale integration.
The economic goals set during the summit are centered on doubling bilateral trade. After trade reached nearly 912 million dollars by the end of 2025, the leaders officially endorsed a roadmap to reach 2 billion dollars by 2030. To hit this target, the governments are fast-tracking the Oybek-Fotekhobod border trade zone and introducing digital "E-Permit" systems to reduce the bureaucracy that often slows down regional cargo transport.
A highlight of the visit was a ceremony to launch 10 major joint projects. These include new textile plants in Tajikistan, furniture and leather factories, and expanded household appliance production. Within Uzbekistan, new facilities for dairy, fruit juice, and metal briquettes are being established in the Andijan, Fergana, and Surkhandarya regions.
The visit also featured several cultural and symbolic milestones, including the opening of a new building for the Tajikistan Embassy in Tashkent and the naming of a street in the New Tashkent district after the city of Dushanbe. The leaders also attended a joint concert at the International Forums Palace, emphasizing the shared heritage of the two peoples.
The two presidents discussed a five-year program to support the large diaspora communities living in both countries, focusing on education and scientific exchanges. A comprehensive roadmap has been commissioned to ensure that the industrial, energy, and security agreements reached this week are implemented over the next three years.
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