Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev visited Tajikistan on June 10-11 to build on momentum that has already led to a notable improvement in relations between the two nations.
The centuries-old ties between the Tajik and Uzbek people suffered greatly under Uzbekistan’s first president, Islam Karimov, who closed off Uzbekistan’s borders with Tajikistan and increasingly cut back relations with the Tajik government.
Mirzioyev came to power in September 2016 after Karimov died, and the new Uzbek leader has helped establish a much friendlier relationship with Tajikistan.
On this week's Majlis podcast, RFE/RL media-relations manager Muhammad Tahir moderates a discussion on what has changed in Tajik-Uzbek ties since Mirziyoev has been Uzbekistan’s president and where this new spirit of cooperation might lead both countries.
This week’s guests are all speaking from Prague: Salimjon Aioub, the director of RFE/RL’s Tajik Service, known locally as Ozodi; Alisher Sydyk, the director of RFE/RL’s Uzbek Service, known locally as Ozodlik; and Bruce Pannier, the author of the Qishloq Ovozi blog.
Listen to the podcast above or subscribe to the Majlis on iTunes or on Google Podcasts.
