PANJAKENT, July 11, 2008, Asia-Plus — The committee for coordination and management of the Zerafashan Valley Development Initiative project met in Panjakent, Sughd province on July 9to discuss a progress of implementation of the project.
Firouz Homidov, an adviser to the UNDP field office in Ayni for economic matters, said that the purpose of the meeting was to acquaint the public and local authorities with achievements of the project and discuss the results of the annual valuation mission of the UK Department for International Development (DFID).
The main achievements in implementation of the projects such as Role of Partnership in Efficient Management of Investments, Role of Development Committees of Districts in Coordination of Local Development Processes and others were also presented during the meeting, Homidov said.
Speaking at the meeting, the deputy Panjakent mayor, Zafar Aliyev, suggested that tourism development component should also be included in the project.
According to the valuation mission, the Zerafshan Valley Development Initiative project is being implemented at the high level and its experience could be used by the UNDP in other regions of the country as well, Homidov said.
The overall objective of the Zerafshan Development Initiative project is to decrease poverty and improve the living standards of inhabitants of the three isolated districts of the Zarafshan Valley by: building and reviving the local economy; fostering strong social integration and supportive social services; maintaining a good government for the people; and building communities around people’s needs.
This project will strengthen and improve sustainable economic growth and public policy in support of poverty reduction in the Zarafshan Valley. This will be achieved through critical investments in capacity development for local governments and civil society; roads, power and communications; disaster mitigation; capital development, development of business and farming capacities, and enhanced livelihoods and economic opportunities. It will give the local authorities and inhabitants of the valley the capacity to understand and plan development, manage scarce resources, promote public investments, economic growth and create an environment for sustained development. The intention is to open up choices and build a society, which increases competitiveness without sacrificing social cohesion and which is able to satisfy peoples’ needs, based on the principles of equity, transparency and good governance.
This program targets three districts of the Zarafshan Valley — Ayni, Panjakent and Kuhistoni Mastchoh.
