DUSHANBE, October 26, Asia-Plus - A five-day exclusive Iranian industrial exhibition opened in Dushanbe on October 26. 

Sharif Saidov, the head of Tajikistan’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI), inaugurating the exhibition noted that the exhibition, which is already the fifth Iranian exhibition in Tajikistan, will spur expansion of economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.   “Tajikistan attaches a great significance to its cooperation with Iran,” the Tajik CCI head said, noting that Tajikistan’s economy needs foreign investments and the Tajik government had taken a number of measures to improve the business environment in the country. 

He noted that Tajikistan and Iran had signed a number of agreements on expanding bilateral economic cooperation and launching joint ventures.  At present, some 50 enterprises with Iranian investments are functioning in Tajikistan, according to him. 

More than 40 companies from Iran have displayed building materials, prefabricated partitions, tile, concrete, ceramic, industrial machines, as well as technical and engineering consultanting services, consumer goods, equipment for small hydropower plants, home appliances, medical equipment, furniture, stationery products, pharmaceuticals and other products and industries in the exhibition that runs through October 30. 

The main objective of the exhibition, which is being staged by Mashhad International Exhibition Company in cooperation with Tajik CCI, is to facilitate expansion of economic cooperation between Tajikistan and Iran and to increase Iranian investments in and exports to Tajikistan.  

According to Tajikistan’s State Committee for Statistics, trade between Tajikistan and Iran over the first nine months 2006 has increased by 36.3 percent and amounted to US$65.8 million.