Emomali Sobirzoda

Emomali Abdurahim Sobirzoda (; born July 20, 1972) is the current Minister of Defence of Tajikistan. He previously served as the Chief of the General Staff from November 2015 to January 2025.

Early life

Sobirzoda was born on July 20, 1972, in the city of Vahdat to a family of labor workers. From 1987-1990, he was a student of Secondary Vocational and Technical School No. 70, in Mozhaisk, within the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (now the Russian Federation). After graduating, he became a printer at Printing House No. 1, Dushanbe. He briefly served in the Soviet Army and the short lived United Armed Forces of the Commonwealth of Independent States as a deputy platoon commander of a military unit in Zhambyl (now Taraz), Kazakhstan.

Military career He commenced his military career in 1992, immediately serving in military units that were deployed during the Tajikistani Civil War. He graduated from the Military Institute (then military college) of the Ministry of Defence of Tajikistan, and from Kulob State University in the mid-1990s before moving to Russia where he would stay from 1999 to 2001 as a cadet in the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia, where he majored in Military and Administrative Management. He oversaw the development of military relations between Tajikistan, Russia, the United States and Uzbekistan. He coordinated joint projects with the United States to counter international terrorism and strengthen bilateral security cooperation, including military cooperation and intelligence sharing, as well as training and equipping the Armed Forces. He participated in high-level talks with the commanders of the United States Central Command, Generals Joseph Votel in 2018 and Michael Kurilla in 2022. On the 25th anniversary of the armed forces on February 21, 2018, he was promoted to Lieutenant General.

Minister of Defence On 23 January 2025, he was appointed Minister of Defense. He was succeed as Chief by Bobojon Saidzoda.

Personal life He has 3 children. He is fluent in Russian and English.

Awards Order of Spitamen (2009) Medal "Courage" (2003)