In a post on X, Hubinger said the risks posed by currently existing AI models remain small. However, he warned that the rapid development of AI could lead to new models becoming highly autonomous and eventually posing an existential threat to humanity.

His comments came amid reports by the Financial Times that Anthropic had not given the UK’s AI Safety Institute (AISI) access to its latest AI model. AISI is one of the organizations responsible for assessing risks associated with artificial intelligence.

The BBC contacted Anthropic for comment.

Hubinger did not provide details about how AI systems could potentially threaten humanity.

His comments came in response to a post by Jacob Coxon, an AI researcher who left Anthropic this week after previously working at OpenAI.

“None of these companies are behaving responsibly,” Coxon wrote, explaining his decision to leave Anthropic.

“Soon these will be systems that surpass human intelligence and are capable of hacking anything, revolutionizing any field overnight, and gaining real power and resources,” he added.

The BBC also contacted OpenAI for comment.

The UK government declined to comment on reports that AISI had not been granted access to Anthropic’s latest model. A Cabinet spokesperson said British authorities “continue to work closely with industry partners, including Anthropic, and to work on improving the safety of AI models.”

Neil Lawrence, a professor at the University of Cambridge, told BBC Radio 4’s Today program that the United States was increasingly stepping back from cooperation with other countries and international organizations on AI.

“In my view, this is not surprising, given that in the US, artificial intelligence is perceived primarily in the context of a race with China and there is a growing lean toward isolationism; it is quite likely that the (US) administration is in favor of reducing cooperation with some allies,” he said.

‘AI poses an existential threat to humanity’

Hubinger’s post, which received more than 10 million views, said that researchers at Anthropic “genuinely believe” AI poses an existential threat to humanity.

“I believe Anthropic is doing everything it can, but we don’t yet have a plan for solving the problem of aligning superintelligence’s goals with human values, and we are not moving in that direction,” he wrote.

Hubinger specializes in AI alignment, a field focused on ensuring that AI systems operate in ways consistent with human values and intentions.

A number of leading AI researchers have warned that current efforts to address these risks may be falling short. Several incidents reported this summer involved AI agents and autonomous systems being used to carry out cyberattacks.

OpenAI, Anthropic and Meta have disclosed information about hacking incidents involving their AI tools.

In its August safety report, Anthropic assessed as low the risk that its AI models could stop following the instructions of organizations using them and instead interfere with their systems or exploit them for their own purposes.

The company also rated as low the risk that its models could independently conduct research and development that might cause “catastrophic harm” to an organization. However, Anthropic said its experts were now “less confident in this assessment” than previously.

“We are seeing early signs of a potential acceleration (of developments in this direction),” the report said.

Growing warnings from AI leaders

Leading figures in artificial intelligence have warned about the potential security risks of the technology for years. The heads of OpenAI, Google DeepMind and Anthropic publicly raised such concerns as early as 2023.

In recent weeks, however, the warnings have become more urgent as evidence has emerged that companies may be struggling to maintain control over increasingly capable AI systems.

In early September, Jakub Pachocki, who leads the development of advanced models at OpenAI, called for “extreme caution” over the pace of AI progress. He said additional intervention may be needed to ensure that “humans retain control (over AI) in the future.”

In recent months, senior industry figures, including Anthropic executives Dario Amodei and Jared Kaplan, have also called for slowing the development of new AI models.

An open letter signed by 1,300 AI company employees calls on the US government to “support international efforts to develop the technical and governance tools needed to regulate the pace of development of new artificial intelligence systems.”

The value of petroleum product imports is projected at approximately $1.12 billion in 2027.

Diesel and gasoline are expected to account for the bulk of imports. The forecast envisages 700,000 tons of diesel fuel worth about $500 million and 530,000 tons of gasoline worth $400 million.

Tajikistan may also import 312 million cubic meters of natural gas and 333,000 tons of liquefied gas.

Fuel imports are projected to continue rising in subsequent years, reaching 1.67 million tons in 2028and 1.77 million tons in 2029.

Russia remains the main supplier

Tajikistan remains heavily dependent on Russia for fuel supplies. According to the Antimonopoly Service, the country imported 599,500 tons of petroleum products in January–June 2026, with 91.1% coming from Russia.

Russian petroleum products are supplied to Tajikistan under an intergovernmental agreement that has been in effect since 2013. The agreement allows supplies without export duties and within an annually agreed quota. For 2026, the quota is approximately 1.1 million tons.

In summer 2026, disruptions in Russian fuel supplies pushed up prices and caused diesel shortages at some gas stations.

Against this backdrop, Tajikistan has been seeking alternative sources more actively, increasing fuel purchases from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan and exploring new supply routes.

In July, combined imports of gasoline, diesel and jet fuel from the three countries nearly tripled to 34,000 tons. However, this volume remains insufficient to quickly replace Russian supplies.

Tajikistan seeks alternative supplies

Tajikistan has traditionally sourced a large share of its petroleum products from Russia, but it is also seeking to expand supplies from other countries, including Iran.

Reuters reported on August 20 that Tajikistan’s Transport Ministry said the country had asked Iran to supply 2.55 million tons of fuel, including 2 million tons of crude oil, 150,000 tons of gasoline, 300,000 tons of diesel and 100,000 tons of jet fuel.

The request reportedly comes as Russia has faced fuel shortages in recent months amid Ukrainian drone strikes targeting oil refineries.

As reported earlier, Tajikistan’s Energy Minister Daler Juma said in July that authorities were negotiating with Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Iraq and Belarus on additional petroleum product supplies.

Russia currently has export restrictions on diesel fuel, gasoline and aviation kerosene aimed at stabilizing the domestic fuel market. Intergovernmental supply agreements are exempt from the restrictions.

First Deputy Interior Minister Andrei Kikot, who heads the ministry’s Service for Citizenship and Registration of Foreign Nationals, presented the figures during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to the Kremlin.

“Somewhere around 60 billion goes to the federal budget, and over 250 or 260 billion goes to regional budgets. But, as I understand it, primarily from patents?” Putin asked.

Kikot confirmed that the bulk of the revenue comes from payments related to labor migrants’ patents.

According to Kikot, around 9 million foreign nationals enter Russia each year for various purposes. At any given time, 6–6.5 million foreigners are in the country, including about 3 million labor migrants, 1.7 million family members and around 1 million people in other categories, such as tourists, students and private visitors.

He also reported that the share of legal labor migration has increased from 45% to 50%, calling the trend “a good indicator.”

Kikot said that in the first half of 2026, the number of registered crimes committed by foreign nationals in Russia fell by 40%.

New rules for migrants’ families

Kikot also discussed measures being introduced under Russia’s State Migration Policy Concept, adopted last year.

One of its goals is to reduce the number of non-working family members of labor migrants living in Russia. According to Kikot, their number has already declined by 20% from the previously reported 1.7 million.

He attributed the decline partly to new requirements for children of foreign nationals seeking to attend Russian schools, including a Russian-language proficiency test.

A federal law initiated by the migration service will also take effect on January 1, 2027. It provides for employed foreign nationals to pay additional taxes for each non-working family member residing with them in Russia.

Russia considers organized recruitment of foreign workers

Another migration-service initiative is a bill that would introduce a system of organized recruitment of foreign workers. The proposal is currently being reviewed by the Russian government.

Under the existing system, foreign nationals can travel to Russia independently and seek employment after arrival. Under the proposed model, an employer would apply to the migration service, which would select workers through a designated operator, arrange their entry and documentation, and then assign them to the employer.

The draft would require medium-sized and large companies using the system to provide recruited workers with specialized accommodation and transportation to and from their workplaces.

The proposed model is designed around a closed “home–work–home” system. Once an employment contract expires, the worker would be returned to their home country in an organized manner.

Meanwhile, according to some estimates, labor migrants make a significant contribution to Russia’s economy and public finances, accounting for an estimated 7% to 8% of annual GDP and generating hundreds of billions of rubles in taxes and other fees.

Ahead of the Games in Japan, Tajikistan’s all-time Asian Games medal tally stands at 35 — six gold, eight silver and 21 bronze.

The Aichi–Nagoya Asian Games will be held from September 19 to October 4, with around 120 Tajik athletes expected to compete.

For Tajik sport, the Asian Games are the continent’s premier multi-sport event and an important test of the country’s progress following its strong performance at the Hangzhou Games.

There is also a historical parallel: Tajikistan’s Asian Games debut took place in Japan. In 1994, the country competed for the first time as an independent team in Hiroshima. Thirty-two years later, it returns to Japan for its ninth Summer Asian Games.

First medals — in Japan

At Hiroshima 1994, Tajikistan won two bronze medals. The country’s first medalists were karateka Isroil Ismoilov in the 80kg category and judoka Khayrullo Nazriev in the 86kg category. Tajikistan finished 29th in the overall standings.

The 1998 Bangkok Games remain the only Asian Games from which independent Tajikistan returned without a medal.

At Busan 2002, the team made a major step forward, winning six medals — two silver and four bronze.

Freestyle wrestlers Lidia Karamchakova and Yusuf Abdusalomov won silver. Karamchakova became the first Tajik woman to win an Asian Games medal.

The bronze medals went to wrestler Shamil Aliyev, boxers Abdusalom Hasanov and Mehroj Umarov, and karateka Isroil Ismoilov, who won his second Asian Games medal after Hiroshima.

2006: First gold medals

A historic breakthrough came at the Doha 2006 Games, when Tajikistan won its first Asian Games gold medals.

Dilshod Nazarov won the hammer throw with a throw of 74.43 meters, while Jahon Qurbonov became boxing champion in the 81kg category.

Judoka Rasoul Boqiyev and taekwondo athlete Shokirjon Rajabov added two bronze medals, giving Tajikistan a total of four medals.

At Guangzhou 2010, Nazarov successfully defended his title, winning gold with a throw of 76.44 meters. Boqiyev, Murodali Tuychiyev and Qurbonov added three bronze medals.

At Incheon 2014, Nazarov achieved something no other Tajik athlete has matched: he won the Asian Games hammer throw title for the third consecutive time.

Tajikistan also won silver through freestyle wrestler Zalimkhan Yusupov, while taekwondo athletes Farhod Nematov, Alisher Gulov and Mohrou Halimova took bronze. The team finished with five medals — one gold, one silver and three bronze.

Jakarta 2018: Seven medals, but no gold

The 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia produced another record medal haul for Tajikistan, but the team did not win a gold medal.

Nazarov won silver, while Umed Hasanbekov in sambo, Behrouz Khojazoda in kurash and Shahriyor Daminov in canoe sprint also took silver. Daminov’s medal was the first Asian Games medal in Tajik canoeing.

Three bronze medals came from judokas Komronshoh Ustopiriyon and Shakarmamad Mirmamadov, with Ustopiriyon also taking bronze in sambo.

Tajikistan finished with seven medals, its best single-Games total at the time.

Hangzhou: a new generation wins two golds

The 2022 Asian Games were postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic and eventually held in Hangzhou, China, in 2023.

Tajikistan won two gold medals at a single Asian Games for the first time since Doha 2006.

Judoka Somon Mahmadbekov won gold in the 81kg category. Temur Rahimov took silver in the +100kg category, while Behrouz Khojazoda won bronze in the 73kg category.

The second gold came from boxer Davlat Boltayev, who won the 92kg category.

Boxer Mijgona Samadova and kurash athletes Haqnazar Nazarov and Khayrandesh Murodzoda added three more bronze medals.

The final tally was two gold, one silver and four bronze medals, or seven medals overall. Tajikistan finished 24th in the standings.

35 medals across eight Asian Games

Seven medals remains Tajikistan’s record for a single Summer Asian Games. The national team has reached that mark at the last two Games, in Jakarta and Hangzhou.

There is another notable streak: after the medal-less Bangkok Games in 1998, Tajikistan has won at least one medal at six consecutive Asian Games.

Japan again

Much has changed since Hiroshima 1994. Tajikistan arrived at its first Asian Games as a newly independent team and returned with two bronze medals. It now heads to Aichi–Nagoya with 35 medals and six Asian Games titles.

The country’s medal-winning sports have also expanded. Wrestling, boxing, karate and athletics initially played the leading roles, while later medals came in taekwondo, sambo, kurash and canoeing. At the most recent Games, judo was particularly successful, producing three medals.

Aichi–Nagoya 2026 will be more than Tajikistan’s ninth Asian Games appearance. It will be a return to the country where its Asian Games story began 32 years ago.

In 1994, the goal was to win the first medal. Now, Tajikistan will seek to extend its medal-winning streak and build on the seven-medal hauls achieved at the last two Games.

The main question is whether the 2026 generation can finally surpass the seven-medal record at a single Asian Games.

The economy grew by 8.2% year-on-year in the first half of 2026, with growth supported by strong investment activity, domestic demand and rising foreign trade, the EDB said.

The bank expects Tajikistan to maintain one of the highest economic growth rates in Central Asia this year. Kyrgyzstan is the only country in the region expected to record stronger growth.

The EDB forecasts economic growth of 9% in Kyrgyzstan, 7% in Uzbekistan, 6% in Turkmenistan and 5.5% in Kazakhstan in 2026.

Exports and investment drive growth

One of the strongest results recorded in Tajikistan during the first half of the year was a sharp increase in exports. Their nominal value rose by 65.4% compared with the same period in 2025.

Fixed capital investment increased by 18.4%, while retail trade turnover grew by 31.8%.

Industrial output rose by 26%, including a 23.6% increase in food production and a 27.2% rise in the production of non-metallic mineral products.

Central Asian economies grow by 6%

The combined economies of Central Asia grew by 6% in the first half of 2026, according to the EDB.

Kyrgyzstan recorded the highest growth rate in the region, with its economy expanding by 11.1% in January–July, followed by Uzbekistan at 8.5%.

The EDB attributes the region’s strong economic performance to increased investment, major infrastructure projects and sustained consumer demand.

However, the bank warns that external risks remain, including volatility in global commodity markets.

He also remotely commissioned 15 other facilities in the Rasht, Nourobod, Sangvor, Lakhsh and Tojikobod districts and reviewed a project to build the 64.5-kilometer Labijar–Sangvor highway, according to the president’s press service.

Rasht airport renovated

One of the first facilities inaugurated was the airport in the Rasht District. Its terminal building was reconstructed with the support of local entrepreneurs, with improved facilities for passenger services.

According to the president’s press service, new air routes are planned to be launched in the future, restoring air links between Rasht and other regions of Tajikistan.

Presidential school for 800 students

Rahmon also opened a Presidential School for Gifted Students in Rasht designed for 800 students.

The school has 33 classrooms, computer labs with internet access, and laboratories for chemistry, biology and physics.

The facility also includes a 400-seat assembly hall, a cafeteria, a gymnasium and sports grounds for football, volleyball and basketball.

Two dormitories — one for girls and one for boys — can accommodate 350 students from other districts of the region. The school has created more than 60 teaching jobs.

15 more facilities commissioned

The president also remotely commissioned 15 facilities across five districts of the Rasht Valley.

In the Rasht District, the facilities include a new building for the Nusratullo Makhsum jamoat, the museum of Tajikistan’s national hero Nusratullo Makhsum, buildings for the education department and a security unit, and a Youth Palace in Garm. A monument to People’s Writer of Tajikistan Mehmon Bakhti was also unveiled in Garm.

In Nourobod, School No. 12, designed for 700 students in two shifts, and a shopping center were opened.

In Sangvor, the Garmchashmai Vakhyo hotel began operations.

In Lakhsh, new buildings for the district office of the State Committee for National Security, a justice center, a food security center and an electrical grid facility were commissioned.

In Tojikobod, three schools were opened: School No. 45 for 350 students, School No. 28 for 350 students, and School No. 44 for 600 students. Together, they can accommodate 1,300 students in two shifts.

Labijar–Sangvor highway

During the visit, Rahmon was presented with a project to build the 64.5-kilometer Labijar–Sangvor highway.

Construction of the first 10-kilometer section, from Labijar to the village of Kaftarguzar, is scheduled to begin this year.

The project includes two bridges with a combined length of 148 meters, 18 culverts, 21 retaining walls and road lighting.

Rahmon instructed officials to ensure the quality and timely completion of construction given the difficult mountainous terrain, attract additional funding and accelerate implementation of the project.

Facilities built ahead of Tajikistan’s 35th anniversary

According to the president’s press service, in preparation for the 35th anniversary of Tajikistan’s state independence, 404 facilities have been built and commissioned in the Rasht District, 270 in Nourobod, 99 in Lakhsh, 94 in Tojikobod and 95 in Sangvor.

Rahmon instructed district authorities to make more effective use of available resources, continue improvement and landscaping efforts, and ensure the timely harvesting of agricultural crops.

The containers carry automotive components, consumer goods and other consolidated cargo.

The train will travel through China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan before entering Iran via the Sarakhs railway crossing.

Kazakhstan is the first transit link after China

The train entered Kazakhstan from China through the Khorgos–Altynkol border crossing, according to inbusiness.kz.

It departed Altynkol station on September 7 and is continuing toward Uzbekistan. It will leave Kazakhstan through the Saryagash–Keles border crossing before being handed over to the Uzbek side.

From Uzbekistan, the train will enter Turkmenistan through the Khojadavlet–Farap crossing and continue toward Sarakhs on the Iranian border.

The Khorgos–Altynkol–Keles–Khojadavlet–Farap–Sarakhs–Tehran route is already used by carriers transporting goods between China and Iran.

More than 6,000 kilometers in 14–16 days

The total route is more than 6,000 kilometers, with delivery expected to take approximately 14–16 days, according to Uztemirjulcontainer.

Rail freight therefore offers a middle ground between more expensive air transport and slower sea shipping. Existing rail services between China and Iran via Central Asia typically take around 14–18 days.

Uzbekistan offers incentives for transit

The China–Iran railway corridor through Central Asia is not entirely new. Cargo has previously been transported through Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, including routes that bypass Uzbekistan.

The new development is the launch of a dedicated block train running through Uzbek territory.

Uzbekistan is also offering economic incentives to increase transit traffic. From February through the end of 2026, a 0.60 reduction coefficient applies to tariffs for certain international shipments on the Keles–Khojadavlet section, which is used by trains traveling from Kazakhstan through Uzbekistan to Turkmenistan, according to the Russian customs and logistics portal tks.ru.

Regular service could follow

Uztemirjulcontainer considers the inaugural train a practical test of the China–Central Asia–Iran transport corridor.

If the service meets the expected delivery times and proves reliable, regular block trains could be launched, the operator said.

For Kazakhstan, the service could increase container transit from the Chinese border through Altynkol toward Central Asia. Uzbekistan could increase traffic on the Keles–Khojadavlet section, while China and Iran would gain another fully overland freight option that does not depend on sea transportation.

The figure was announced by Andrei Kikot, First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs and head of the ministry’s Service for Citizenship and Registration of Foreign Nationals, at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Kremlin published the remarks on its website.

“While last year we saw a slight increase in the number of crimes committed by foreigners, with that figure reaching 41,000, this year we are seeing a sharp decline: in the first half of the year, 14,500 crimes were registered, which is a decrease of 40 percent,” Kikot said.

He attributed the decline partly to the expanded powers of the migration service. By presidential order, the agency was given additional responsibilities for crime prevention, as well as powers to conduct operational investigative activities and inquiries under relevant legislation.

According to Kikot, the service is focusing primarily on organized crime, criminal schemes and channels of illegal migration rather than minor and less serious offenses.

The agency has also stepped up efforts to identify underground printing operations producing forged documents used to register and legalize labor migrants. As a result, the number of organized criminal groups identified increased by 30%, he said.

Moscow and St. Petersburg account for nearly half of crimes

Kikot said Moscow, the Moscow Region and St. Petersburg account for just under half of all crimes committed by foreign nationals. He attributed this partly to the large number of foreigners living in and arriving in these regions.

The remaining regions of Russia account for an average of 2–3% of such crimes each, he said.

More inspections and deportations

The Interior Ministry has also increased migration-control measures.

According to Kikot, the number of raids increased by 155,000, while the number of legal entities inspected rose by 43%. As a result, about 100,000 foreign nationals were expelled from Russia, including 75,000 who were forcibly deported.

Putin said the rate of administrative expulsions increased 2.6 times, while forced expulsions rose by 85%. Kikot confirmed these figures.

As part of preventive measures, migration service units banned 197,000 foreigners who had violated Russian law from entering the country.

Authorities also tightened checks on documents submitted by foreigners applying for legal status. As a result, the number of forged documents and documents containing knowingly false information detected by officials increased tenfold.

Authorities have also stepped up efforts to identify fictitious marriages and family relationships. The detection rate for such cases increased by 20%, while cases involving knowingly false information rose tenfold.

Following inspections, 20,000 temporary and permanent residence permits were revoked, Kikot said.

New migration-control checkpoints

Kikot said the changes were also linked to a broader approach to migration control. Previously, such work was carried out mainly by territorial police units, including patrol and road-policing services, as well as the Russian National Guard.

Transport police units have now been incorporated into the system.

By presidential order, migration-control checkpoints are being established at and near transport hubs where border-crossing points are located. Twenty-three such checkpoints have been opened so far.

A pilot project was launched at Sheremetyevo Airport, which the Interior Ministry said demonstrated the effectiveness of the new system.

“Together with our colleagues from the FSB, the Border Service, and the Ministry of Transport, we have developed a new algorithm that has not been used before, which allows us to block and prevent illegal migrants from passing through border crossing points at the time of their arrival, while those who are leaving our country and are violators — we close their return entry,” Kikot said.

He linked the new measures to an 8% decline in the number of foreigners present in Russia.

At the same time, Kikot said, the number of labor migrants legally residing in the country is increasing.

AI-based migration monitoring system planned

Kikot also announced plans to establish an analytical center that will use new technologies, including artificial intelligence, to consolidate and analyze migration-related information from different sources.

The system is expected to use data from border crossings and migration-control operations, surveillance cameras with facial-recognition capabilities, as well as information from employers and government agencies.

The center is planned to become operational in 2027 and will be used to identify and counter illegal migration, according to Kikot.

Russia’s Interior Ministry data

According to Interior Ministry data cited by Fergana news agency, about 9 million foreign nationals enter Russia each year for various purposes.

At any given time, between 6 million and 6.5 million foreigners are present in the country. Around 3 million are labor migrants, while another 1.7 million are their family members. About 1 million fall into other categories, including tourists, students and people visiting for private purposes.

The authorities have placed 800,000 foreign nationals who violated Russian law on a registry of monitored individuals. Search measures are being carried out in relation to them.

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) published the report PISA 2025 Results (Volume I): Future-Ready Students on September 8, presenting the findings of the latest international assessment of the knowledge and skills of 15-year-old students. The assessment was conducted in 2025.

Tajikistan participated in PISA for the first time. The country was represented by Dushanbe, which is listed in the OECD’s international tables as “Dushanbe (Tajikistan).”

The assessment covered three core subjects: science, reading, and mathematics.

Tajikistan’s students scored an average of 334 points in science, 368 points in reading, and 382 points in mathematics.

The corresponding OECD averages were 482, 461, and 463 points, respectively.

At the same time, 67.2% of students in Tajikistan failed to reach the baseline Level 2 in all three subjects simultaneously.

Science results

In science, Level 2 begins at 410 points and is considered the baseline level of proficiency. At this level, students can provide a simple scientific explanation of a familiar phenomenon, interpret straightforward data, identify evidence supporting a claim, and assess the reliability of a source using a basic scientific criterion.

Across OECD countries, an average of 74% of students reached Level 2 or above in science.

Tajikistan was among 11 PISA-2025 participants where more than 75% of students failed to reach the baseline levelin science.

Among Central Asian countries, Uzbekistan recorded the highest science score at 438 points, followed by Kazakhstan with 420, Kyrgyzstan with 363, and Tajikistan with 334.

In mathematics, Kazakhstan scored 414 points, Tajikistan 382, and Kyrgyzstan 364. In reading, the scores were 385, 368, and 344 points, respectively.

Uzbekistan’s mathematics and reading results are not included in the international tables.

Results declining worldwide

PISA-2025 also showed a decline in student performance in many countries. According to the OECD, the average scores of OECD member countries in science, reading, and mathematics were the lowest recorded in the history of the assessment.

China and Singapore recorded the highest results across all three subjects. Estonia, Japan, South Korea, Macao, Chinese Taipei, and the United Kingdom were also among the top-performing participants.

The event was attended by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Paul Kapur, representatives of U.S. government agencies, senators and members of Congress, diplomats, and representatives of business, investment, scientific and academic circles, Tajikistan’s Embassy in the United States reported.

Tajik Ambassador to the United States Zavqi Zavqizoda spoke about Tajikistan’s socioeconomic development since independence and the country’s relations with Washington.

According to Zavqizoda, Tajikistan’s economy has grown by an average of 7.7% annually over the past 25 years, while the country has moved from the low-income to the middle-income category.

He highlighted the energy sector, noting that around 98% of Tajikistan’s electricity is generated from renewable hydropower. He also spoke about the construction of the Roghun Hydroelectric Power Plant and the country’s water resources.

Dushanbe seeks closer ties with Washington

Zavqizoda also highlighted the November 6, 2025 meeting between Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington.

According to the ambassador, the meeting gave fresh impetus to cooperation in politics, trade and investment, industry, aviation, digital technologies and artificial intelligence, healthcare, tourism and regional security.

Paul Kapur congratulated the people of Tajikistan on the 35th anniversary of independence and highlighted the development of bilateral relations and Tajikistan’s role in regional stability and security, regional cooperation and addressing global challenges.

According to the embassy, the U.S. side reaffirmed its readiness to continue developing mutually beneficial cooperation with Tajikistan.

Niagara Falls lit up in Tajik flag colors

The Washington event featured a photo and exhibition display dedicated to Tajikistan’s history, culture and nature, along with a musical and cultural program and Tajik national cuisine.

As part of the independence celebrations, Niagara Falls was also illuminated in the colors of Tajikistan’s national flag.

On September 8–9, a video about Tajikistan was shown at Times Square in New York City. According to the embassy, it was displayed 24 times, once every hour over a 24-hour period.

Tajikistan marked the 35th anniversary of its state independence on September 9, 2026. The country declared independence from the Soviet Union on September 9, 1991.