UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Regional Director for Europe and CIS, Ms. Mirjana Spoljaric Egger yesterday concluded her two-day visit to Dushanbe to explore national and regional development issues and areas of further cooperation between UNDP and Tajikistan.
UNDP's Country Office in Tajikistan says the goal of the mission is to support integrated solutions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and to better recover from the socioeconomic impact of COVID-19.
“The impact of the pandemic has exposed the inefficiencies our economies face today and summoned the demand for an integrated development response,” Ms. Spoljaric said at the round table Investing in the future: Opportunities for innovative entrepreneurship in Tajikistan. “The country may turn the current challenge of its youth bulge into development opportunities through stronger investment in education and skills for young people and the promotion of innovation and research.”
The round table, hosted jointly by UNDP, the State Committee on Investment and State-owned Property Management and the President’s Consultative Council on improving investment climate, aimed to build opportunities for further dialogue on digital economy and improved start-up ecosystems between entrepreneurs, investors, and the Government of Tajikistan.
Other key items on Ms. Spoljaric’s agenda were the technological advancement of the governance system and the adaptation to climate change.
On her trip to Roudaki district’s new facility for civil registration – established with UNDP support and funding from the Swiss Government – Ms. Spoljaric endorsed the government’s efforts to transition to an integrated digital system for civil registration. The new system, once fully installed, is expected to improve people’s quality of life through easier access to civil services. In addition, UNDP supports the government in providing free legal aid to marginalized population to improve legal literacy and empower people to practice their rights.
During her mission, Ms. Spoljaric met with government officials, including Mr. Davlatali Said, First Deputy Prime Minister of Tajikistan, Mr. Sirojiddin Muhriddin, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Zavqi Zavqizoda, Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Mr. Daler Juma, Minister of Energy and Water Resources, and development partners.
