DUSHANBE, June 18, Asia-Plus — Tajikistan’s legal foundation is quite developed and according to estimates of many experts, it is enough advanced to promote attraction of investments, Economic Development and Trade Minister, Mr. Ghulomjon Bobozoda, announced at the fourth annual meeting of meeting of the Central Asia Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) Council in Dushanbe on June 17.
According to him, the fact that dozens of enterprises having been launched in Tajikistan are currently developing dynamically demonstrates that the legal foundation is developing successfully.
“Each country has its own investment advantages, and our investment advantages include raw materials, skilled manpower and others, however, they are not used properly,” the minister said.
Bobozoda noted that attraction of investment is not an easy process, however Tajikistan has chosen this way. He noted that all Tajikistan’s laws regulating investment sphere meet appropriate standards. “In Tajikistan there are fewer obstacles on the way of development of trade and promotion of goods than in neighboring countries,” said the minister. “We would want our entrepreneurs and international experts to know and realize that obstacles exist, but they exist in all countries.”
The two-day meeting of the Central Asia Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) Council has been staged by the governments of the United States and Tajikistan and its participants include Afghan Trade and Industries Minister Muhammad Amin Farhang, Turkmen Economic Development and Trade Minister Qurbanmurad Gurbanmuradov, the first Uzbek Deputy Foreign Economic relations, Investment and Trade Minister Nasreddin Nazhimov, and the Kazakh Deputy Industries and Trade Minister Almaz Kosunov. Representatives of Kyrgyzstan are also attending the meeting.
The meeting ended on June 18 and its goals were to foster grater regional cooperation, develop joint activities to expand trade and development, and increase involvement of the private sector.
The Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) is a flexible structure that the United States Trade Representative (USTR) employs to build stronger commercial relations with other countries; the framework is particular to the member countries creating a mechanism for discussion on mutual issues related to trade, investment, development, regional cooperation, economics, and regulatory frameworks. The Central Asia TIFA, which includes the frequent participation of Afghanistan, is unique because it is the only regional as opposed to bilateral TIFA. The TIFA is a major component of the U.S. agenda to promote trade, investment, and development in the region; it is flexible enough to allow discussion and action on any pertinent issue.
