Participation of the Tajik delegation in the 14th session of the General Conference of the World Organization of Islamic Education, Science and Culture

On December 8-9, 2021 in Cairo the delegation of the Republic of Tajikistan headed by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan Muzaffar Huseinzoda took part in the 14th session of the General Conference of the World Organization of Islamic Education, Science and Culture (ICESCO).

During the meeting, the members of the ICESCO Executive Council and the decisions of the 40th, 41st and 42nd sessions of the ICESCO Executive Council were adopted.

In his speech, the representative of the Republic of Tajikistan recalled the effective experience of cooperation between our country and ICESCO and stressed the readiness and interest of the country to further expand relations with the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in the framework of its goals and programs.

Source: Ministry of foreign affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan

Professor Iskandarov: Taliban’s Coming to Power in Afghanistan Return Threat of World Terrorism to the Global Agenda

Taliban’s coming to power in Afghanistan has returned the threat of world terrorism to the global agenda. This was stated by the Chief Scientific Secretary of the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan, Chairman of the Society for Friendship and Cultural Relations of Tajikistan and Afghanistan, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor Kosimsho Iskandarov in an interview with Khovar Director Saidali Siddik.

According to him, there is every reason to believe that the country, as one of the hottest spots on the planet, will plunge into even greater anarchy, it may again become a center for training terrorists, drug trafficking and weapons.

In support of this statement Iskandarov recalls the speech of President Emomali Rahmon in the general debates of the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly, where quotes: “The peaceful people of Afghanistan are faced with terror today. Various terrorist groups are actively using the unstable military and political situation in Afghanistan to strengthen their position.”

“As our President also stressed the situation could worsen even more if urgent measures are not taken,” he mentioned.

According to him, the UN and superpowers should demand that the Taliban fulfill their promises, form an inclusive government, respect the rights of women and national minorities, as well as fight against international terrorism and drug trafficking.

While answering to question about what will happen if the «Taliban» * does not do so?, Iskandarov said that then Afghanistan must be ready for the next stage of a bloody civil war, that’s for sure.

“Then it will be necessary to enter the UN peacekeeping force in Afghanistan,” he noted.

“This is not currently in the plans, but plans can change, and change very quickly. This is normal. Then, only after eliminating the “Taliban”* and holding free elections under the supervision of peacekeepers can we expect something positive,” Iskandarov concluded.

Source: National information agency of Tajikistan

Professor Iskandarov: Taliban, Who Have Absolute Power in Afghanistan, Can Become a New Bridgehead for Terrorism in the World

“I am convinced that the Taliban’s lightning-fast takeover of Kabul is inspiring terrorist groups elsewhere to escalate their jihadist campaigns,” noted Chief Scientific Secretary of the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan, Chairman of the Society for Friendship and Cultural Relations of Tajikistan and Afghanistan, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor Kosimsho Iskandarov in an interview with Khovar Director Saidali Siddik.

According to him, the international community, major powers, neighboring countries fear precisely that Afghanistan will once again turn into a safe haven for international terrorists.

“Based on this, American leaders believe that after a while ISIS* from Afghanistan may threaten the US security. This opinion also exists with regard to Al-Qaeda*,” Iskandarov added.

He noted that the Taliban* have been saying what they want to hear from them for more than two years in the course of meetings and negotiations.

“They promise to resist drug smuggling, not to violate the borders of Central Asian states, etc. But everyone knows that 90% of drugs were grown in the territories controlled by the Taliban*,” he mentioned.

Iskandarov wonders why didn’t they put up a barrier to this? Moreover, the report of the UN Security Council mission in Afghanistan dated January 12-15, 2018 reported that in 2017 the Taliban* received from $ 400 million through $ 500 million from the drug trade. At present, the entire territory of Afghanistan, including the external borders, is controlled by the Taliban*, but drug smuggling continues.

Iskandarov believes that, perhaps, due to their lack of opportunities and resources, in the short term the Taliban themselves will not try to interfere in the affairs of other countries.

“But, as you know, there are many other terrorist organizations in Afghanistan that intend to create problems for neighboring countries, and the Taliban* is not going to put a barrier in their way, on the contrary, it supports them. On the other hand, within the ranks of the Taliban* there are enough fanatical militants or jihadists who consider jihad mandatory for a Muslim, there is no guarantee that as long as there is an Islamic Emirate regime with a jihadist ideology in Afghanistan, neighboring countries will feel safe. Another issue is ideological influence,” he emphasized.

According to Iskandarov, there are many people in Central Asia who rejoiced at the victory of the Taliban. The existence of such a regime inspires Islamists, the so-called «sleeping cells» in the Central Asian countries. If the Taliban* won a victory, and other countries will reckon and cooperate with him, then other groups can count on it.

“Many terrorist organizations have operated and are operating in Afghanistan. These are Al-Qaeda, Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, Islamic Movement of East Turkestan, Ansarullah, Lashkari Tayyiba, Islamic Jihad Union, ISIS Khorasan, Katibat al Imam Bukhari. According to the UN and other agencies, there is no sign or evidence that the Taliban have severed ties with these organizations so far. Foreign terrorists took part in the last battles in Panjshir,” Chief Scientific Secretary of the National Academy of Sciences mentioned.

Iskandarov notes that he would have qualified the difference between them somewhat differently. The Taliban are, first of all, Afghans, among whom Pashtuns dominate, who claim the revival of the Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan. And the ISIS-Khorasan* are also mostly Pashtuns, but their goal is more global — the creation of a world caliphate. This is the only thing that fundamentally distinguishes them. And in terms of ruthlessness, there is no difference between the two.

Iskandarov considers that the Taliban are still promising not to fight for the caliphate outside Afghanistan. But as soon as they are officially recognized by the UN and other countries at the diplomatic level, when they feel strength and support, the situation may change.

According to him, in the meantime, the Taliban will operate within Afghanistan, will continue to destroy morally and physically representatives of other ethnic groups, terrify those who are accustomed to living in a civilized, free, without fundamentalism. After all, it is difficult for the Taliban to subjugate the country to their will without resorting to constant violence, we saw how young people and women went to protest rallies against them in Kabul, Herat and other cities. Will continue to trample on women’s rights.

Source: National information agency of Tajikistan

Sustainable tourism can offer mountain communities a path to prosperity and inclusion

Rome - Sustainable tourism plays a key role in boosting livelihoods, poverty alleviation, and environmental conservation in mountainous areas, according to a new report launched by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and UNWTO at an International Mountain Day 2021 celebration event.

Mountain tourism - Towards a more sustainable path, jointly developed by FAO, the Mountain Partnership Secretariat and the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), highlights the role of tourism in the sustainable development of mountain regions. The publication features examples of innovation, best practices and initiatives from all over the world, as well as practical guidelines and recommendations in the context of building back better for sustainable mountain tourism.

“For many mountain communities, tourism is their livelihood,” FAO Director-General QU Dongyu stressed at the event. “Promoting sustainable eco-tourism, agri-tourism and wellness tourism can help generate new jobs, diversify income, build robust micro-economies and revitalize depopulated areas with local products and services,” he added, encouraging everyone to work together to protect fragile mountain ecosystems and “rethink and reshape mountain tourism for the benefit of mountain communities, global wellbeing and the planet’s health.”

“Sustainable tourism can serve as an important driver of socio-economic development in mountain areas. Well managed, community-based tourism increases and diversifies household incomes, enhances job and livelihood opportunities, supports traditional systems, builds resilience and helps to conserve and promote natural and cultural heritage across landscapes,” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili.

The theme of International Mountain Day 2021

The United Nations has designated 11 December as International Mountain Day, with FAO as the lead agency for its coordination. Celebrated every year, it creates awareness about the importance of mountains to life, highlighting the opportunities and constraints in mountain development and building alliances that will bring positive change to mountain peoples and environments around the world.

With mountain destinations attracting around 15-20 percent of global tourism, International Mountain Day 2021’s theme of sustainable mountain tourism recognizes the sector’s role in valuing the natural and cultural heritage of mountains and mountain peoples, promoting sustainable food systems, and protecting mountain ecosystems and their biodiversity.

The Year’s theme also draws attention to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and how it can be an opportunity to rebuild mountain tourism in a greener and more sustainable and inclusive way. This means ensuring community empowerment, effective measurement of the impact of tourism in mountains, the effective management of resources and waste, and the definition of carrying capacity for destinations.

A joint effort

Today’s high-level International Mountain Day event was opened by the FAO Director-General QU Dongyu and UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili. Other participants included Maria Ubach, Andorra’s Minister of Foreign Affairs , Christine Bulliard-Marbach, Swiss Parliamentarian, Member of the National Council and President of the Swiss Association for Mountain Regions, Roberto Natali, Plenipotentiary Minister and Directorate General for Development Cooperation for the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Anthonette Velasco-Allones, Chief Operating Officer of the Philippines Tourism Promotions Board and mountaineer Reinhold Messner. FAO Deputy Director-General Maria Helena Semedo gave the concluding remarks. Stella Jean – an Italian-Haitian fashion designer was appointed Mountain Partnership Goodwill Ambassador in recognition of her work with mountain women artisans from Kyrgyzstan. Dilshodbegim Khusravova, a Tajik young activist, was named Youth Mountain Partnership Goodwill Ambassador for her work in early warning disaster prevention systems in the mountains of Tajikistan.

The event highlighted the need to promote dialogue and cooperation to tap mountain tourism’s full potential to contribute to sustainable development. It highlighted the work that many Mountain Partnership members and UNWTO member states are doing to ensure that mountain communities are not left behind in the spirit of the UN 2030 Agenda.

Sustainable best practices

According to the study, sustainable mountain tourism products and services should shift from high-impact tourism to low-impact, climate-sensitive ones, and create new opportunities, bringing tangible benefits to local communities, while helping to enhance the conservation of the unique mountain heritage. They should also be inclusive, providing a good quality of employment and decent work. The publication highlights projects from across the world that are doing just that, including in the Cordillera region of the Philippines, where the country’s Department of Tourism, the Mountain Partnership Secretariat and Slow Food are connecting tourism service providers to small-scale producers so visitors can discover high-quality mountain products, and ‘astrostays’ in the Himalayas, which are homestays provided by local communities that include stargazing activities.

FAO and UNWTO

FAO and UNWTO have a long history of working together, boosted by a recent Memorandum of Understanding between the two parties. This establishes further commitment to nurture innovation and entrepreneurship, drive sustainable development, and strengthen livelihoods through rural tourism, agritourism, nature tourism, outdoor activities and other forms of landscape-based tourism. It envisages, among others, collaborative activities within the framework of FAO’s Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS), the Coalition of Fragile Ecosystems and the Green Cities Initiative.

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Construction of a New Building of Tajikistan’s Embassy in Uzbekistan Begins in Tashkent

On December 8, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Sirojiddin Muhriddin and Ambassador of Tajikistan to Uzbekistan Abdujabbor Rahmonzoda launched the construction work of the new building of the Embassy of Tajikistan in Tashkent.

The complex of the new building of the Embassy will be built on an area of 1.40 hectares in accordance with the agreement between the governments of Tajikistan and on the mutual allocation of land plots for the construction of diplomatic missions of Tajikistan in Uzbekistan and Uzbekistan in Tajikistan.

According to the project, the Embassy complex consists of the residence of the Chief of Mission, the consulate building, living quarters for staff, banquet and conference rooms, a sports ground and a parking lot.

This initiative plays an important role in strengthening friendship and developing bilateral cooperation between the two countries and peoples.

Source: National information agency of Tajikistan

Fire protection is our goal!

It is obvious that with the onset of the cold season, the need for heat will increase not only in the homes of citizens, but in all facilities of ministries, committees and other government agencies, regardless of their form of ownership, especially in trade and consumer services and markets. According to the results of trainings and analysis of specialists in the field, people who carefully study and follow the rules of fire safety, are safe from fires and other accidents. However, some citizens, officials and officials of facilities and institutions have neglected to ensure and comply with the requirements of fire safety, thus endangering housing, families, children, property, which is the most precious human treasure and public and private property. cases give way to fire.

In order to prevent such incidents, the resolutions of the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan “On timely preparation of the economy and society of the country for regular and effective activities in the autumn-winter period 2021-2022” and “On approval of the information order, dissemination of knowledge, education and Specialists in the field of fire safety ”, as well as on the instructions of the leadership of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the additional plan of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The above-mentioned working groups, in addition to conducting inspections of fire safety in residential areas and high-rise residential buildings of citizens, as well as various enterprises, organizations, institutions and facilities, Residents, workers and employees of various professions will be interviewed on the mandatory observance of fire safety rules and regulations, and they will be issued orders of the state fire safety authorities with a set of firefighting measures. Unfortunately, due to the negligence of some leaders, officials and citizens, accidents are still registered, which is unfortunate.

The main causes of fires are violations of the rules of installation and violation of fire safety rules when using homemade electrical and gas appliances 46.0%, avoidance of fire by 21.1%, children playing with fire by 15.5% and others.

Incidents of fires show that some leaders of institutions, organizations, enterprises and individuals deliberately do not pay attention to this vital issue, and in some cases do not follow even the simplest rules of fire safety. negligence ends in unfortunate consequences.

In order to prevent fires, the Main Directorate of the State Fire Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan recommends:

1. Ensuring compliance with fire safety requirements, norms, rules and standards at affiliated enterprises and facilities, and taking urgent measures to eliminate the identified shortcomings.

2. To hold consultations with all employees on fire prevention in all institutions, enterprises and organizations and to intensify fire prevention work.

3. Power grids shall be under strict control and provided with special switches for switching off the power supply. Electric switches should be installed outside the building in a special place or with locked metal boxes.

4. Connection of electric cables and cables to prevent the risk of fire by welding, pressing and special clamps.

5. To carry out check of resistance of a covering of electric cables and cables and to draw up the necessary document from its results.

6. To connect tools and other electrical devices and equipment to the mains via suitable plugs.

7. The use of self-made fuses in electrical shields is strictly prohibited.

8. In carpentry workshops, warehouses and other buildings where construction materials are stored, electric lights should be provided with glass covers.

9. Power distributors must be sealed with a special cover.

10. Unauthorized installation of appliances connected to the mains, as well as their use without a fire-resistant base is not allowed.

11. In case of power outages, buildings and rooms should be provided with electric lights or lanterns.

12. Connection of any receivers in the power grid is possible only taking into account the possible load of the network. Only specialists in this field should be allowed to connect, repair and service the power grid.

13. To use central heating systems (TPP) or boiler houses for heating of buildings and rooms.

14. It is prohibited to store more than 0.5 cubic meters of fuel per day in boilers. Boilers should be placed under the supervision of its employee.

15. The technical condition of furnaces, chimneys and boilers should meet the requirements of fire safety standards and regulations. In front of each stove, a 50 x 70 cm piece of iron can be placed on a wooden floor.

16. To provide fire walls of 51 cm in height from stoves and chimneys to flammable structures, and 38 cm in case of protection of flammable structures with asbestos and mud-soaked wool.

17. Chimneys should be cleaned at least once a month and heating stoves every two months.

18. Strictly prohibit the lighting of stoves at night in public buildings, etc.

19. It is strictly forbidden to ignite stoves with kerosene, gasoline and other flammable liquids without leaving them unattended.

20. To provide premises in accordance with the rules and regulations with automatic fire extinguishers and primary fire-fighting equipment.

21. All roads, passages and sidewalks near buildings, water supply facilities should be kept in good condition for unimpeded access of fire engines.

22. It is strictly forbidden to light fires in ovens with kerosene, gasoline and other flammable liquids, to leave them unattended and to attach this action to young children.

23. It is strictly forbidden to heat rooms of administrative buildings and houses of citizens with the use of gas appliances and homemade electric heaters.

24. Uncontrolled installation of gas and electric appliances, water heaters and their connection to persons unfamiliar with the rules of use of these appliances is prohibited.

25. It is strictly forbidden to store flammable objects on the roofs and basements of residential houses, buildings and enterprises.

26. Stoves, fireplaces, wood and stoves should be located at a safe distance from the dwelling.

Dear compatriots! We would like to remind you that firefighting is provided free of charge by firefighters. By following fire safety rules when using firewood, coal, gas and electric appliances and using them sparingly, you can protect your home, children’s health and the health of your neighbors from any fires and other disasters in the winter.

We would also like to remind you that in case of fire or its symptoms, it is necessary to call the Fire Service at = 01 and 101.

Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan

Drug Situation in Afghanistan and Region Discussed in Dushanbe

The drug situation in Afghanistan and the region was discussed yesterday by the Director of the Drug Control Agency Habibullo Vohidzoda with the Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy to Tajikistan Bridgette Walker.

Vohidzoda informed Walker about the drug situation in Tajikistan, the achievements of the country and the law enforcement agencies in this area.

The parties also discussed the drug situation in Afghanistan and the region, transportation and smuggling of drugs across the state border, financial and logistical support of the Agency from the US government, as well as the creation of new inter-district departments in the border areas of the Khatlon region.

Vohidzoda expressed gratitude for the high level of fruitful cooperation in the field of drug control, in particular, for considering the issue of financing the advanced training of the Agency’s staff.

Walker also got acquainted with the activities of the Agency’s dog training service and with military tactical exercises, as well as took part in the burning and destruction of drugs.

Source: National information agency of Tajikistan

Over 55% Citizens Vaccinated Against COVID-19 in Tajikistan

As of December 10, 3,222,924 people or 55.3% of the adult population has been vaccinated in Tajikistan.

More than 2,677,138 or 45.9% of citizens have received the second dose of the vaccine.

According to the decision of the Republican COVID-19 Prevention Commission, vaccination is mandatory for citizens over 18 years old.

The vaccine is provided to the citizens free of charge.

According to experts, vaccines and preventive measures, including wearing medical protective masks, regular hand washing, and social distancing are the main means of limiting the spread of this virus.

Source: National information agency of Tajikistan

Khujand Becomes Five-Time Holder of Tajikistan Football Cup

Khujand beat Dushanbe with a score of 2-0 in the final match of the 2021 Tajikistan Cup and became a five-time holder of the cup.

The goals of Khojiboy Ziyoyev and Artem Serdyuk in extra times brought victory to the Khujand club.

Previously, Khujand won the Tajikistan Cup in 1997/1998, 2002, 2008 and 2017.

The prize fund of the final of the 2021 Tajikistan Cup amounted to 45,000. In addition to the trophy, the winner received a cash prize of 25,000 somoni, and the finalist received silver medals and 20,000 somoni. In addition, the best player in the final was awarded a cash prize of 5,000 somoni. Goalkeeper of Khujand Dalerjon Barotov received the best player prize.

Source: National information agency of Tajikistan