Rustam Emomali

Rustam Emomali (Tajik: Рустам Эмомалӣ; born 19 December 1987) is a senior government official and the eldest son of president Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan. He holds the rank of major general^[1] and is among the 10 most influential individuals in Tajikistan.^[2][3] Rustam Emomali is believed to be prepared by his father to succeed him as the leader of Tajikistan.^[4][5]

Early life and football career

Rustam Emomali was born as Rustam Emomalievich Rahmonov (Tajik: Рустам Эмомалиевич Раҳмонов) in the village of Danghara, Kulob oblast (present-day Khatlon province) in Tajikistan. He graduated from the Tajik State National University with a specialist's degree in International Economic Relations and took courses with the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.^[6][7] In 2007, following Emomali Rahmon's suit, he dropped the Russian-style patronymic and last name, adopting his father's first name, Emomali, as his new surname.

In 2007. Rustam Emomali co-founded the Dushanbe-based football club Istiklol and, during the next several years, he served as the club's captain and played for it as a striker.^[8] The club has won five national championships consecutively since 2011, owing at least partially to very favorable refereeing and other preferences.^[9][10] In 2011, Rustam Emomali was appointed deputy president of Tajikistan's Football Federation (TFT) and joined the International Relations Committee of the Olympic Council of Asia.^[11] In January 2012, the TFT named Rustam Emomali its new president.^[12] Following the appointment, he stopped playing for FC Istiklol and promised to cut all ties to the club. Starting in 2012, he served as a member of the FIFA Development Committee for two years.^[13] In 2016, the TFT reelected Rustam Emomali as its president for another four years.^[14]

He is also known for his two expensive hobbies, car racing and collecting sports cars.^[15]

Political promotions

After graduating from the university, Rustam Emomali enjoyed rapid career growth thanks to his status as a son of the country's president. In 2006, he was appointed a leading specialist at Tajikistan's Organization for Cooperation with the World Trade Organization.^[4] In 2009, he got a job as a leading specialist in the State Committee on Investments and State Property (SCISP) and was soon promoted to the position of a head of a department in the committee. During his work in the SCISP, he also served as an adviser to the committee.^[16] Also in 2009, Rustam Emomali was appointed a deputy head of the Youth Union, the Tajik successor to the Soviet-era Komsomol organization.^[17] Starting in 2009, Rustam Emomali began attending major international summits and meetings with foreign dignitaries in Tajikistan.^[18] In 2010, he became a member of the central executive committee of the People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan and was elected a member of the Dushanbe municipal parliament.^[19][20]

In February 2011, Emomali Rahmon appointed Rustam Emomali head of the anti-smuggling department in the Customs Service, the first in a number of senior law-enforcement positions that the Tajik president's son has held.^[16][21] Soon after the appointment, he was given the rank of major.^[22] In November 2013, Rustam Emomali was appointed head of the Customs Service.^[23] The appointment came with a new military rank, major general.^[1] In March 2015, president Emomali Rahmon appointed his son to head Tajikistan's principal anti-corruption agency, the State Agency For Financial Control and Measures Against Corruption.^[24]

Political succession speculations

Rustam Emomali's rapid career growth and his appointments to a number of different senior government positions has fueled speculations that he was being prepared to succeed his father as the leader of Tajikistan.^[4][5] Rustam Emomali attends all key international summits in the country and accompanies his father during his frequent tours around the country. On 22 May 2016, a nationwide referendum approved a number of changes to the country's constitution.^[25] One of the key amendments reduced the minimum eligibility age for presidential candidates from 35 to 30, effectively enabling Rustam Emomali to succeed his father in office after 2017.^[26]

Family

Rustam Emomali is the oldest son of Tajikistan's president, Emomali Rahmon. He has eight siblings. He got married in 2009 to a daughter of a well-connected entrepreneur who owns a number of food-processing enterprises.^[27] The couple has two children, a son and a daughter.^[6] Rustam's sister, Ozoda Rahmon, is a senior government official and senator in Tajikistan.

References