Political scientist: Azerbaijani oil supplies to accelerate industrialization of Tajikistan

Deliveries of Azerbaijani crude oil for processing to Tajikistan will accelerate the industrialization of the country, Tajik political scientist, chairman of the National Fund "Silk Road- Consolidation Road" Abdugani Mamadazimov told Report.

According to the political scientist, the agreement between the ministers of the two fraternal countries – minister of economic development and trade of Tajikistan Zavki Zavkizoda and minister of ecology and natural resources of Azerbaijan Mukhtar Babayev, on oil supplies is a landmark event for Tajikistan.

"The supply of Azerbaijani crude oil to a large oil refinery in the Dangara free economic zone in the near future will help ensure two of the four priorities of the country's national strategy at once: energy independence and accelerated industrialization of sovereign Tajikistan," he said.

Mamadazimov noted that the commissioning of the capacities of this oil refinery will significantly improve the uninterrupted supply of fuel and lubricants both in the transport sector and in the industry as a whole.

"This is very important for Tajikistan, which still does not have its own oil refining industry," he added.

The political scientist stressed that this decision could become a starting point for new joint projects between the countries.

As a result of the meeting of the intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation between the two states, it was decided that Azerbaijan would provide supplies of crude oil for the needs of the Dangara FEZ oil refinery south of Dushanbe.

The parties also discussed Azerbaijan's investment in the reconstruction of the enterprise of the Tajik Aluminum Company to increase its capacity, export of aluminum, cryolite and aluminum fluoride from Tajikistan to Azerbaijan, import of alumina from Azerbaijan to Tajikistan, processing of agricultural products and tariffs for transportation by rail, development of tourism, exploration of natural resources of Tajikistan and increase in bilateral trade.