Bilateral relations between the Republic of Tajikistan and the Republic of Austria

On January 18, 1992 the Republic of Austria recognized independence of the Republic of Tajikistan and on March 25, 1992 diplomatic relations between Tajikistan and Austria were established.

In December 1996, the Embassy of the Republic of Tajikistan was opened in Vienna, and in November 2007, the Embassy of the Republic of Austria was opened in the Republic of Tajikistan (with its residence in Astana).

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Tajikistan to the Republic of Austria is Mr. Idibek Kalandar.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Austria to the Republic of Tajikistan (with residence in Astana) is .............

In 1997, the international conference of donor countries on support for the post-war development of Tajikistan was held in Austria, in which the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Honorable Emomali Rahmon, took part and met with the Federal President of the Republic of Austria, Thomas Klestil.

In November 1998, on the sidelines of the international conference of donor countries on support for the post-war development of Tajikistan, a memorandum between the foreign ministers of Tajikistan and Austria on the recognition of mutual relations agreements previously signed between the Soviet Union and Austria was signed in the form of the exchange of verbal notes.

On June 7, 2011, the first official visit of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan H.E. Emomali Rahmon to the Republic of Austria took place, which is considered one of the most important events in the recent history of bilateral relations. A number of bilateral documents were signed on the sidelines of this visit.

On March 12-13, 2013, the then President of the Republic of Austria Mr. Heinz Fischer paid an official return visit to the Republic of Tajikistan, which gave a new impetus to the strengthening of relations between the parties.

Political consultations of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and the Joint Economic Commission are regularly held between the Republic of Tajikistan and the Republic of Austria in order to strengthen comprehensive mutual relations.

The inter-parliamentary relations of the parties are developing.

Legal Base of Bilateral Relations:

• Agreement between the Republic of Tajikistan and the Republic of Austria about the bilateral foreign economic relations (February 24, 1994 Vienna);
• Exchange of notes on recognition of contracts on the mutual relations signed earlier between the USSR and Austria (November 24, 1998 Vienna);
• Memorandum of Understanding on Scientific Cooperation (2005 Dushanbe);
• Agreement for the promotion and protection of investment between the Republic of Tajikistan and the Republic of Austria (December 15, 2010 Dushanbe);
• Joint Statement of the Republic of Tajikistan and the Republic of Austria on further strengthening of bilateral Relations (June 7, 2011 Vienna);
• Convention between the Republic of Tajikistan and the Republic of Austria for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income and Capital (June 7, 2011 Vienna);
• Agreement between national Olympic Committee of the Republic of Tajikistan and Olympic Committee of the Austrian Republic (June 7, 2011 Vienna);
• Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation between SUE “Tojikaeronavigatsiya” and Austrian company “FrequentisAG (March 12, 2013 Dushanbe);
• Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Tajikistan and Austrian company “ASKIN D&Co” on establishment of scientific cooperation in the health sphere (March 12, 2013 Dushanbe);
• Protocol amending the Protocol to the Convention between the Republic of Tajikistan and the Republic of Austria for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income and on Capital, signed at Vienna on 7 June 2011 (March 13, 2013
• Dushanbe);
• Agreement on cooperation between The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Tajikistan and The Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (March 13, 2013 Dushanbe);
• Memorandum of understanding between The Agency of Standardization, Metrology, Certification and Trade Inspection under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan and Austrian Standards Institute (March 13, 2013 Dushanbe);
• Air Service Agreement between the Republic of Tajikistan and the Austrian Federal Government (October 14, 2014 Dushanbe).

Scientific, Educational and Cultural Ties

Despite of establishing diplomatic relations between the Republic of Tajikistan and the Republic of Austria in 1992 the history of these relations has started much earlier. In 1972 capitals of Carinthia, the Klagenfurt city and the Tajikistan capital Dushanbe city have established twin-cities relationships. It should be mentioned that Klagenfurt is the first European city to establish twin-city relationship with Dushanbe.

On March 22, 1989, a Protocol on cooperation between the Magistrate of the Klagenfurt city and the Executive Committee of the Dushanbe city was signed within the framework of the joint cooperation. Tajik national teahouse, as a symbol of friendship from Dushanbe city, was built in one of the most beautiful parks of the Klagenfurt. Also on March 13, 1993, another Protocol on cooperation between the cities of Dushanbe and Klagenfurt for the period 1993-1994 was signed.

In addition, Klagenfurt is the first European city for Tajik football players: in the mid-1990s, two football players from the "Pamir-Dushanbe" team - Alexander Azimov and Valery Tursunov - played in the "Austria Klagenfurt" team.

In 2013, in order to strengthen the relations between these two cities, the Embassy of Tajikistan in Austria visited the city of Klagenfurt and held a number of meetings.

In subsequent years, contacts between the cities were conducted on a regular basis. In June 2017, twin cities exchanged letters and congratulations on the occasion of the appointment of the new mayor of Dushanbe, Rustami Emomali.

With the official invitation of Dushanbe city leadership, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of sister city relations between Dushanbe and Klagenfurt, the visit of representatives of Klagenfurt city under the leadership of Deputy Mayor - patron of foreign relations - Mr. Alois Dolinar, including the head of the Exhibitions of the Federal Region of Carinthia (Kärntner Messen Klagenfurt) Mr. Bernhard Erler and the head of the mayor's visit service Mrs. Eva Janica visited Tajikistan from March 21 to 24, 2022.

During the trip, meetings of the Klagenfurt delegation were held with Dushanbe City Hall, Tourism Development Committee, Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

From March 28 to April 3, 2023, the official delegation of the Republic of Tajikistan under the leadership of the Deputy Mayor of Dushanbe Mr. Firdavs Saidzoda traveled to the Republic of Austria to participate in the Dushanbe-Klagenfurt Sister City Entertainment Exhibition (March 30 - April 2, 2023).

Within the framework of this visit, official meeting with the Mayor of Klagenfurt Mr. Christian Scheider was held on 1 April, 2023.

On March 31 - April 2, 2023, an entertainment exhibition was held in Klagenfurt, Austria, during which the cultural and tourist corner of the Republic of Tajikistan was opened.

During the event, information about tourism opportunities, including mountaineering, ecotourism, hunting, etc., as well as handicraft and cultural products of the country were presented to the participants of the event.

From July 1 to 5, 2024, the delegation of Dushanbe City headed by the Deputy Mayor of Dushanbe Mrs. Dilbar Odilzoda visited Klagenfurt.

During the trip, on July 2, 2024, an official meeting of the Tajik delegation with the Deputy Mayor of Klagenfurt, Mr. Alexander Thomas Kastner, who is responsible for sister-city relations, was held in the building of the City Hall of Klagenfurt.

On July 3, 2024, the re-opening ceremony of the Tajik National Tea House in a new location - Minimundus Miniature Park was held in Klagenfurt.

The official ceremony was attended by the Deputy Mayor of Dushanbe Mrs. Dilbar Odilzoda, Deputy Mayor of Klagenfurt Mr. Alexander Thomas Kastner, Councilor of Klagenfurt City Council on Infrastructure Mr. Max Habernicht, Director of Minimundus Park Mr. Walter Ebner, former Deputy Mayor of Klagenfurt Mr. Alois Dolinar, and other Klagenfurt city officials, as well as Tajik citizens living in Klagenfurt and its surroundings.

Science is another important field of cooperation between Tajikistan and Austria. Memorandum of Understanding on Scientific Co-operation was signed between two countries. The Austrian scientists visit Tajikistan on October 2005.

The Diplomatic Academy of Vienna since 1997 with support of Government of the Republic of Austria, financial institutes and non-governmental organizations has been arranging the Special courses and trainings for young diplomats from CIS countries, including Tajikistan. During this period young diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan participated at 6 courses and the last special training programme for Central Asian and Mongolian diplomats were held from June 19th till July 7th, 2017.

Courses to learn German language is another direction for educational cooperation between both countries and within several years, in collaboration with the Embassy of the Republic of Austria, learning of German language are conducted at Tajik Pedagogical University.