DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, April 20. Tajikistan and the EU are preparing a new cooperation agreement that will include new areas of collaboration, said Deputy Managing Director of the European External Action Service (EEAS) Luke Devin, in an interview with Tajik media, Trend reports.

According to him, the goal of negotiations between the EU and Tajikistan is to conclude a new agreement on enhanced partnership and cooperation.

"Today, relations between the European Union and Tajikistan are governed by an old agreement from 2009. Undoubtedly, the world, the EU, Tajikistan, and the challenges have changed since then. Therefore, we believe that we need a new framework agreement to regulate our relations," he said.

He noted that cooperation will be developed in new areas not covered by the previous agreement.

"We will now have more than 25 areas of cooperation, ranging from human rights, trade, education, energy, environmental issues, finance, healthcare, etc.," he said.

Devin emphasized that in preparing such agreements, the EU adapts to the specifics of each country. Along with the agreement, specific projects are being implemented.

On April 8 and 9, 2024, in Dushanbe, the EU and Tajikistan held the third round of negotiations on new comprehensive frameworks to strengthen their bilateral relations. At the heart of the discussions was the new partnership and cooperation agreement, initiated in February 2023 in accordance with the EU-Central Asia strategy.