Tajik President Emomali Rahmon has met European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela in Dushanbe to discuss European investment in Tajikistan’s energy and industrial sectors, reported Asiapllus.tj, citing the presidential press service.
The talks covered green energy, climate adaptation, modern industries, digital technologies, and transport links to regional corridors and European markets. They also covered geological exploration and the extraction and processing of minerals. Rahmon said strengthening relations with the European Union remains “one of Tajikistan’s foreign policy priorities.” No investment amounts or agreements were announced.
During his previous visit in March 2025, Síkela signed two grants of €20 million each under the EU’s Global Gateway initiative. One supports the modernisation of electricity grids through the EBRD, and the other supports sustainable cotton production through GIZ. He also toured the Rogun hydropower plant. The European Commission has allocated €142 million for cooperation with Tajikistan for 2021–2027.
Brussels is stepping up engagement with Central Asia as it looks for critical raw materials and alternative transport routes that bypass Russia. For Dushanbe, European capital offers a way to diversify away from its reliance on Russia, where much of its workforce is employed, and on China, its largest creditor. Mining and hydropower are the most likely areas for new projects.
CentralasianLIGHT.org,
November 9, 2026