DUSHANBE, April 24, 2013, Asia-plus – The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is providing a $9.2 million grant to help Tajikistan enhance its economic competitiveness through supporting faster, more predictable and efficient cross-border processing activities.
According to the ADB Tajikistan resident Mission (TJRM), the grant is part of the Regional Improvement of Border Services project benefiting Tajikistan and the Kyrgyz Republic. The project aims to accelerate trade growth within the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) region and with the rest of the world.
In Tajikistan, the project will upgrade the Guliston border crossing point located along the regional Osh-Khujand highway, including construction of infrastructure and inspection facilities, water supply and sewerage systems, and provision of equipment. The improvements will accommodate anticipated traffic growth and reduce congestion in this border crossing point to facilitate the movement of goods and people.
The project will also support the establishment of a national single window facility to streamline trade and transport data submission, and ensure conformity of submitted data with international requirements. A single window facility allows submission of transport and trade documents only once, and their review and processing prior to cargo’s arrival at the border, significantly simplifying cross-border procedures.
“We are working with other development partners, including the European Union, to alleviate a key constraint for trade and development,” said C.C. Yu, ADB’s Country Director for Tajikistan. “By modernizing border-crossing infrastructure and developing electronic trade platforms, Tajikistan can minimize the negative impact of its geographic isolation, and better realize its economic potential.”
The Government of Tajikistan will provide counterpart funding of $1.9 million for the project, which is due for completion in 2017. The Ministry of Economic Development and Trade will be the executing agency, and the Customs Service will act as the implementing agency for the project.
CAREC promotes project-based cooperation in transport, energy, and trade. The CAREC partnership comprises 10 countries — Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, the People’s Republic of China, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan — and six multilateral institutions: ADB, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, International Monetary Fund, Islamic Development Bank, United Nations Development Programme, and World Bank. ADB has served as the CAREC Secretariat since 2001.
Tajikistan joined ADB in 1998, and to date, the institution has approved total assistance of over $970 million in concessional loans, grants and technical assistance to the country. ADB’s operations benefit the population by reducing isolation, increasing communication, broadening access to electricity, improving social services, and creating more income-generating opportunities.
