DUSHANBE , July 5, Asia-Plus - His Royal Highness The Duke of York will arrive in Tajikistan on July 7 for a two day visit.  The Duke of York, or Prince Andrew as he is also known, is the second son of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the younger brother of Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales.

According to information from the U.K. Embassy in Dushanbe , during his stay in Tajikistan The Duke of York will hold seven main events in Dushanbe and the Khatlon province.

The first part of the Prince Andrew’s visit to Tajikistan will include a courtesy call on Tajikistan ’s President Emomali Rahmonov.

The source in the British Embassy says the main aim of the visit of The Duke of York is to open officially the new buildings of the British Embassy in Dushanbe , in Mirzo Tursunzoda Street , schedule for afternoon on July 7.  Construction work began on the existing building (formerly a project office for ADB) in February 2003, and was carried out by a British contractor, GIBS, although the majority of the workforce was Tajik nationals.  The construction was part of a joint project to renovate both the Embassy and the Ambassador’s new Residence at the same time and cost almost $7 million. In 2005 the British Foreign Ministry bought the main Embassy building from its former owner.

In the evening of the same day, the British Embassy will be hosting the ‘Queen’s Birthday Party’ – the equivalent of a national day celebration.  The Ambassador has invited up to 300 guests from the 70-strong British community as well as diplomats and representatives of the international community and most of the Embassy’s close contacts from Tajik government and civil society. 

On Saturday July 8, The Duke of York will pay a day-long trip to the Tajik southern province of Khatlon , during which he will visit both the Jomi district and the city of Qurghon Teppa .  

The first element of the visit to Jomi will be a visit to a center, which is working to develop the skills of local women and youth with funds provided by the British Embassy. The project is implemented by a Tajik NGO “Bonouvoni Khatlon”.  The second element of the Prince’s visit to Jomi will be to tour an exhibition of seven organizations made up of both British NGOs (Oxfam, Merlin, Save the Children Fund, Action against Hunger) and several other projects funded through the British Government’s Department for International Development (DFID).  

In Qurghon Teppa His Royal Highness will visit the city’s mosque and meet young people from different religions who are working together on an inter-faith project. He will also open the new building of the Sworde-Teppa English Center in Qurghon Teppa.