TAJIKISTAN: RAHMONOV RESTRUCTURES GOVERNMENT AND STARTS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 002169 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON ETRD EAID EAIR ENRG KDEM PHUM TI SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN: RAHMONOV RESTRUCTURES GOVERNMENT AND STARTS NAMING NEW CABINET DUSHANBE 00002169 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. President Emomoli Rahmonov has restructured the Tajik government and begun appointing a new cabinet, a move expected following his November 6 re-election to another seven-year term. Rahmonov reduced the total number of ministries and state committees from 25 to 17 and state agencies from 15 to 13. The structural reforms consolidated some ministries, agencies and committees, and downgraded the status of some ministries to committees. Among the most significant structural changes: the consolidation of the Border Guards with the Ministry of Security to form a committee headed by former Minister of Security Abdurahimov; the establishment of an independent Customs Service; a new agency in the presidential administration to fight corruption; the dissolution of the Ministry for State Revenues and Taxes; and the merging of the Ministries of Industry and Energy and the Ministries of Transportation and Communications. ¶2. The government has announced only a handful of new appointees. Many top officials are moving from one high-level government position to another, including former Ambassador to the U.S. Hamrokhon Zaripov as the new Foreign Minister, and presidential Chief of Staff Mahmadnazar Solehov as the new Interior Minister ¶3. The November 30 presidential decree announced the following structural changes: The new Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection merges the Ministry of Agriculture with the State Committee for Environmental Protection and Forestry. Abdurahim Qodirov, former chairman of Zafarobod district in northern Sughd province, was named Minister. The new Ministry of Transportation and Communications combines two previously separate ministries and assumes responsibility for the Department of Civil Aviation, which had previously been independent. Abdurahim Ashurov, former Minister of Transportation was appointed as the new minister. Under the new structure, the Agency for Standardization, Metrology, Certification and Trade Inspection ("Tojikstandart"), which used to be under the former Ministry of Economy and Trade, will report to the government directly. The new Ministry of Economic Development and Trade takes on all portfolios of the previous Ministry for Economy and Trade, excluding the issues of tourism, attracting investment and Tojikstandart. The new ministry assumes responsibility for the State Agency for Anti-Monopoly Policy and entrepreneurial enterprises. The Ministry of Culture now incorporates the State Committee on Religious Affairs. The Ministries of Energy and Industry combine to form one ministry, and take responsibility for industrial food processing from the former Ministry of Agriculture. Sherali Gulov, former Chairman of the Committee for Management of State Property, was named the new minister. A State Committee for National Security is created out of the Ministry of Security and the State Committee for Border Protection (SCBP, aka the Tajik Border Guards). The new committee head is General Saidamir Zuhurov, former SCBP Chairman. A Tax Committee reporting directly to the Government replaces the former Ministry for State Taxes and Revenues, and takes over the issues of social taxes covered by the former Social Protection Fund. The Committee for Emergency Situations and Civil Defense replaces the former Ministry of Emergency Situations. The newly-created Customs Service assumes the customs-related duties of the former Ministry of State Revenues and Taxes. The Agency for Land Management, Geodesy, and Cartography assumes the duties of the former State Committee for Land Management and the former National Cosmological, Geodesic and Cartographic Agency. The Agency for Construction and Architecture replaces the former State Committee for Construction and Architecture. The new Agency to Fight Corruption and Economic Crimes will DUSHANBE 00002169 002.2 OF 002 report directly to the presidential administration. The State Committee for Management of State Property is expanded to become the State Committee for Investments and Management of State Property. ¶4. The decree leaves intact several ministries and committees, including Justice, Interior, Foreign Affairs, Education, Labor and Social Protection, Finance, Defense, Health, and Water and Land Resources while reassigning selected portfolios and responsibilities between ministries. Some duties of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection are now folded into other ministries. The migration service is transferred to the Ministry of Interior and the vocational education department to the Ministry of Education. ¶5. Other new appointments include: Foreign Affairs: Former Ambassador to the United States Hamrokhon Zaripov was appointed Foreign Minister, replacing Talbak Nazarov. Nazarov headed the MFA since December 1994 and Zaripov served in Washington since 2003. (NOTE: The new ambassador to the United States has not yet been announced. END NOTE.) Interior: Former Presidential Administration Chief of Staff Mahmadnazar Solehov replaced Khumdin Sharipov as minister. Labor and Social Security: Shukurjon Zuhurov, deputy of the Majlisi Namaoyandagon (Tajikistan's lower chamber of parliament) was appointed Minister of Labor and Social Security, replacing Zokir Vazirov in this post. Shukurjon Zuhurov served as the Labor and Social Security Minister in late 1990s. Land Reclamation and Water Resources: Masaid Homidov, former First Deputy Dushanbe Mayor, replaced Abduqohir Nazirov. Justice: Bakhtiyor Khudoyorov replaced Khalifabobo Homidov. Khudoyorov was head of the Constitutional Guarantees and Citizens Rights Department in the presidential administration. ¶6. Post will continue to monitor and report on new appointments as they are announced. JACOBSON