At the 11th meeting of the EU-Tajikistan Cooperation Council in Brussels on Wednesday 19 November, the EU encouraged Tajikistan to strengthen the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms and to combat all forms of discrimination.
According to a press release from the European External Action Service (EEAS), the EU is also concerned about the pressure on human rights defenders and journalists and the lack of space for civil society.
In particular, it stressed the need for accountability regarding the excessive use of force against demonstrators during the 2022 events in the Gorno Badakhshan region. The EU also encouraged continued efforts to combat sexual and gender-based violence.
“Respect for rule of law, democratisation and human rights, accountability and predictability is key to enhance international trust in Tajikistan’s investment climate”.
The two sides also discussed the next steps before formally signing the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA) initialled in Dushanbe in July 2025, representing “an important step forward for EU-Tajikistan relations, expanding the cooperation between the two sides into new areas and broadening the scope of interactions”. (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)