Ozoda Rahmon
Ozoda Emomalievna Rahmonova (Tajik: Озода Эмомалӣ Раҳмон; born 3 January 1978) is a Tajikistani politician who is the daughter of Emomali Rahmon, the long-standing authoritarian leader of Tajikistan.
Ozoda Emomali Rahmon Озода Эмомалӣ Раҳмон | |
|---|---|
| Born | Озода Эмомалиевна Раҳмонова Ozoda Emomalievna Rahmonova January 3, 1978 |
| Alma mater | Tajik State National University |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Spouse | Jamoliddin Nuraliev |
| Children | 5 |
| Parent(s) | Emomali Rahmon Azizmo Asadullayeva |
| Relatives | Rustam Emomali (brother) |
She is among the ten most influential women in Central Asia[1] and 20 most influential individuals in Tajikistan.[2][3] She has held several senior posts in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[4][5][6] Rahmon appointed Rahmonova as the chief of staff in his presidential administration.[7]
Early life and education
Ozoda Rahmon was born as Ozoda Emomalievna Rahmonova (Tajik: Озода Эмомалиевна Раҳмонова). She graduated from the Tajik National University with a specialist degree in International Law in 2000. Between 2004 and 2006, she took economics and politics courses at the Georgetown University and English courses at the University of Maryland.[8] In 2012, she was awarded the Candidate of Sciences degree after defending a dissertation on legislation dealing with women's rights in Tajikistan.[9]
Political promotions
Thanks to her status as a daughter of Tajikistan's president, Ozoda Rahmon has enjoyed a number of promotions to senior political offices.[10] Between 2005 and 2007, she served as a culture and education attache at the Tajik embassy in Washington, DC,[11] while her husband studied at the University of Maryland.[12] In September 2007, she was appointed head of the consular department at Tajikistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[13] Two years later, in September 2009, Ozoda Rahmon was appointed a deputy foreign minister.[14][8] In May 2014, she was promoted to first deputy foreign minister.[15] According to Ozoda Rahmon's official biography, the introduction of biometric passports and national ID cards in Tajikistan came as a result of her initiatives during her tenure at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[16]
In January 2016, Ozoda Rahmon was appointed as head of the administration (chief of staff) of president Emomali Rahmon, one of the key government positions in Tajikistan.[17] In May 2016, she was also elected as a senator to the upper chamber of the country's parliament.[18]
Ozoda Rahmon holds a diplomatic rank of the ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary.[11]
Political succession speculations
Ozoda Rahmon's political promotions, particularly her January 2016 appointment as the president's chief of staff, has fueled speculations that she might succeed her father as the leader of Tajikistan.[19][20] In May 2016, a number of major changes were introduced to Tajikistan's constitution in a nationwide referendum. One of the key amendments reduced the minimum eligibility age for presidential candidates from 35 to 30.[21] This means that Ozoda Rahmon can theoretically run for presidency any time after 2018.
Name change
In April 2014, following her father's suit, she changed her name from Ozoda Emomalievna Rahmonova to Ozoda Rahmon, effectively removing the Russian-style patronymic and the "-ova" ending from her surname.[22] Although the short version of her name, Ozoda Rahmon is most frequently used, her full name is Ozoda Emomali Rahmon.[16] She adopted her father's modified surname, Rahmon, rather than his first name, Emomali, as her brother, Rustam Emomali, had done.
Family
Ozoda Rahmon is one of the nine children of Tajikistan's president Emomali Rahmon. She is married to Jamoliddin Nuraliev, first deputy head of the National Bank of Tajikistan, who had previously served as the deputy finance minister from 2007 to 2015. The couple has five children, and her oldest daughter, Shahnoza Nuralieva, studies law in the United States of America.[16][11] Ozoda's brother, Rustam Emomali, is a senior government official in Tajikistan.
References
- ^ "Central Asia's 10 Most Influential (And Connected) Women". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. RFE/RL. 2 August 2011. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
- ^ . Asia-Plus. Asia-Plus News Agency. 26 December 2011. Archived from the original on 24 August 2015. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
- ^ Sodiqov, Alexander (29 December 2011). "Tajikistan's 20 Most Influential People". Tajikistan Monitor. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
- ^ "The Rise of Kleptocracy: Laundering Cash, Whitewashing Reputations". Journal of Democracy. Retrieved 2021-07-11.
- ^ Benevento, Chris. "Tajikistan: President's Daughter Gets Plum Ministry Job". www.occrp.org. Retrieved 2021-07-11.
- ^ Atkin, Muriel (2019-04-26). "Modern Tajikistan". Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Asian History. doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780190277727.013.246. ISBN 978-0-19-027772-7. Retrieved 2021-07-11.
- ^ "Nepotism And Dynasty In Central Asian Politics". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. Retrieved 2021-07-11.
- ^ a b Sodiqov, Alexander (14 October 2009). "Tajik President Appoints Daughter as Deputy Foreign Minister". Central Asia and Caucasus Institute Analyst. Transatlantic Research and Policy Center. Retrieved 31 May 2016.[permanent dead link]
- ^ . Asia-Plus. Asia-Plus News Agency. 26 May 2012. Archived from the original on 9 October 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
- ^ Falkingham, Jane (April 2000). "Women and Gender Relations in Tajikistan" (PDF). The Asian Development Bank. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
- ^ a b c "Озода Рахмон будет утверждать законы Таджикистана [Ozoda Rahmon Will Be Approving Bills in Tajikistan]". Asia-Plus. Asia-Plus News Agency. 30 May 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
- ^ . Agroinvestbank. Archived from the original on 5 February 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
- ^ "Дочь президента Таджикистана возглавила консульское управление МИД РТ [Tajik President's Daughter Appointed Head of MFA Consular Department]". Asia-Plus. Asia-Plus News Agency. 4 September 2007. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
- ^ "Ozoda Rahmonova appointed deputy foreign minister". Asia-Plus. Asia-Plus News Agency. 30 September 2009. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
- ^ "Tajik Leader Promotes Family Members In Foreign Ministry". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. RFE/RL's Tajik Service. 15 May 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
- ^ a b c "РАҲМОН Озода Эмомалӣ [Official Biography]". The President of Tajikistan. Tajikistan President's Office. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
- ^ "Tajik President Appoints Daughter Chief Of Staff, Seen As Move To Consolidate Power". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. RFE/RL's Tajik Service. 27 January 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
- ^ "Daughter Of Tajikistan's President Elected To Upper Chamber Of Parliament". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. RFE/RL's Tajik Service. 29 May 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
- ^ "Рахмон Озода Эмомали - будущий президент Таджикистана? [Rahmon Ozoda Emomali - The Next President of Tajikistan?]". Ozodagon. Ozodagon News Agency. 5 June 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
- ^ Mamadshoev, Marat (29 January 2016). "Кого будет продвигать Эмомали Рахмон в 2020 году в президенты Таджикистана? [Who Will Emomali Rahmon Support as Next President in 2020?]". Ozodagon. Ozodagon News Agency. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
- ^ . Reuters. 10 February 2016. Archived from the original on June 16, 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
- ^ "Озода Рахмонова стала Рахмон Озода Эмомали [Ozoda Rahmonova Became Ozoda Emomali Rahmon]". Asia-Plus. Asia-Plus News Agency. 16 April 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
External links
- РАҲМОН Озода Эмомалӣ [Ozoda Rahmon's Official Biography, in Tajik]