DUSHANBE, June 26, 2013, Asia-Plus — The European Union (EU) has supported the border delimitation process between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan since 2012 through the Border Delimitation project in the Ferghana valley, funded under the Foreign Policy Instrument.
According to the EU Delegation to Tajikistan, the Project is implemented by the EC Joint Research Centre (JRC). The overall goal is to allow the bilateral border commissions to produce independent geospatial information based on up-to-date remote sensing imagery from satellite platforms. These maps aim to support the inter-country dialogue on border delimitation.
In May 2013 the JRC has delivered high-performance computers, geospatial processing software, high-precision Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers and map printing devices to Tajikistan with a value of approx. 60.000€ to the Cartography Factory of the State Committee for Land Management and Geodesy of Tajikistan.
Experts of the JRC were in Dushanbe from June 24 to June 26 to enhance the capacity of Tajik specialists to produce independent geospatial information required in the border delimitation process through practical trainings. All satellite imagery that was acquired so far was delivered to the Tajik side for its use in the borders delimitation process.
The JRC is the European Commission”s in-house science service. It provides the science for policy decisions, with a view to ensuring that the EU achieves its Europe 2020 goals for a productive economy as well as a safe, secure and sustainable future. The JRC plays a key role in the European Research Area and reinforces its multidisciplinarity by networking extensively with leading scientific organizations in the Member States, Associated Countries and worldwide.
The European Union is the world’s biggest aid donor. Tajikistan gets the main share of bilateral assistance in the Central Asian region (€66 million for 2007-2010 and 62 million for 2011-2013) in support to sector programs, technical assistance and grants. It focuses on social protection, health and private sector development, underpinned by public finance management. Tajikistan also receives regional and thematic assistance in areas like border management and drug control (BOMCA/CADAP), education (TEMPUS, Erasmus Mundus), water / environment, migration, human rights and democracy (EIDHR), non-State actors (NSA) and SME development (CA-Invest). The total value of EU assistance disbursed to Tajikistan since 1992 is over €600 million.
