Political relations

Germany opened an embassy in Dushanbe in 1993, during the Tajik civil war – making it the first EU member state with an embassy in the country. From the start, Germany has been actively committed to the promotion of the rule of law and the respect for human rights in the country. Official consultations between the two Foreign Ministries were agreed in May 2016; the most recent round of talks took place in Berlin on 17 May 2023.

Economic relations

With an overall GDP of 9.96 billion euro (2022), Tajikistan has the lowest per-capita GDP in the region, at approx. 1000 euro (source: World Bank). While there is little trade between Germany and Tajikistan, it increased markedly in 2022. In 2023, Tajikistan ranked 152nd among Germany’s trading partners, with trade worth 83.2 million euro (source: Federal Statistical Office). Structural problems in the banking sector, gaps in infrastructure, energy scarcity (e.g. electricity supply in winter) and legal uncertainty adversely affect the investment climate. The most important exports are precious metals and stones, as well as jewellery, followed by ores, slag and ash. Agriculture is the country’s most important domestic economic sector.

Development cooperation and projects with Tajikistan

For years, Germany was Tajikistan’s most important bilateral donor among the EU member states. Bilateral engagement focused on sustainable economic development, with a particular emphasis on creating jobs and better income opportunities, as well as on health, particularly the fight against tuberculosis and mother and child health. Further commitments included the construction of local schools, disaster risk reduction and the rehabilitation and/or construction of hydroelectric power plants.

In line with the 2030 reform strategy developed by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ 2030), Germany is currently phasing out its bilateral, state-level development cooperation with Tajikistan. All current projects will be completed. Thanks to a number of co-financing commitments by the EU in the spheres of technical and financial cooperation, long-term funding has been secured for some of the projects.

The PATRIP Foundation, run by Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau, carries out stabilisation projects in the regions bordering Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan, with a focus on infrastructure, health, agriculture and water and electricity supply. The aim is to improve people’s living conditions in the border regions. This lays a foundation for dialogue-based, cross-border cooperation and economic and social development at the local level.

Germany is also supporting a project for the prevention of violent extremism in Central Asia that includes Tajikistan. This project provides support to Tajik authorities and civil society organisations working on reforms to prevent radicalisation and violent extremism.

The Green Central Asia initiative

With the initiative “Green Central Asia - Enhancing environment, climate and water resilience”, Germany has launched a project that focuses on the impact of climate change on regional security in Central Asia. The aim is to foster stronger regional cooperation, improve the exchange of information and form connections with academia and civil society. Through the programme, all of the Central Asian states, including Tajikistan, have developed a joint regional strategy for adapting to climate change. Its implementation will be a main focus of the second phase of Green Central Asia, which begins in 2024.