Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06DUSHANBE2171
2006-12-04 10:06:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Dushanbe
Cable title:  

TAJIKISTAN: RAHMONOV RESTRUCTURES GOVERNMENT AND STARTS

Tags:  PGOV PREL ECON ETRD EAID EAIR ENRG KDEM PHUM TI 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO5145
OO RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHDBU #2171/01 3381006
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O P 041006Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9187
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 1890
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 1919
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 1928
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 0687
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 002171 

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: CORRECTED COPY

REF: DUSHANBE 2169

DUSHANBE 00002171 001.2 OF 002


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 002171

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: CORRECTED COPY

REF: DUSHANBE 2169

DUSHANBE 00002171 001.2 OF 002



1. This cable is to replace Dushanbe 2169.


2. 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.


3. 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


4. 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). Border Guard
chairman General Zuhurov was initially announced as the head of
the new committee, but the government declared that the former
Minister of Security Abdurahimov would assume responsibility for
the new institution.

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.

DUSHANBE 00002171 002.2 OF 002



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
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.


5. 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.


6. 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.


7. Post will continue to monitor and report on new appointments
as they are announced.
JACOBSON