At the VIII Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia and Azerbaijan in the city of Avaza, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon proposed building a large oil refinery to meet the needs of all countries in the region, Avesta.tj reported.
The Tajik leader also initiated the development of a regional green transition strategy with an emphasis on renewable energy and energy efficiency.
Earlier, in the summer of 2026, Emomali Rahmon had already voiced the idea of creating a pan-regional oil refinery. The relevance of the project is underscored by Dushanbe's desire to diversify its imports: in late August, Tajikistan requested 2.55 million tons of oil and petroleum products from Iran.
Dushanbe's proposals reflect a pragmatic approach to ensuring the region's energy sustainability:
Reducing import dependence: The creation of a joint refinery will reduce the vulnerability of Central Asian economies to fluctuations in fuel prices and external logistical disruptions by leveraging the supply capacity of regional oil producers (Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Azerbaijan).
Balance of traditional and green energy: Combining the refinery project with the green transition concept will align the interests of upstream hydropower countries (Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan) and downstream oil and gas states, creating a sustainable energy basin.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
October 9, 2026