Longtime Tajik Prime Minister Dismissed

Outgoing Tajik Prime Minister Akil Akilov

Tajik President Emomali Rahmon has dismissed his country's longtime prime minister, Akil Akilov.

According to a decree published on November 23, Rahmon named Kokhir Rasulzoda, the head of Sogd Province, to replace Akilov, who has been prime minister since 1999 and who will turn 70 in February.

The post of prime minister in Tajikistan is purely technical in nature, and the president is the formal head of the government.

Rahmon has ruled Tajikistan since 1992 and was elected to a fourth term on November 16.

He has been reshuffling the government since then, removing Defense Minister Sherali Hairulloev, who held his post for 18 years, on November 20.

He has also ordered several ministries and state agencies to merge or reorganize their responsibilities.

Based on reporting by ITAR-TASS and Interfax