DUSAHNBE, September 8, Asia-Plus - Direct investments in
Tajikistan
’s economy will have exceeded US$200 million by the end of the year, Tajik Minister of Economy and Trade Hakim Soliyev, announced at a forum of Persian-speaking peoples in
Dushanbe
on September 7.
According to the minister, direct investments in
Tajikistan
over the first six months of 2006 amounted to US $196.5 million, three times more than in the entire year of 2005.
The minister said that the Ministry of Economy and Trade has to date worked on more than 60 investment projects worth a total amount of US $900 million. ”These projects are now waiting for funds,” Soliyev said.
”In the future,
Tajikistan
plans to produce more than 1 million tons of cotton; of this, 700,000 tons will be processed inside the country,” the minister said. He also called upon Tajiks living abroad to invest in development of the country’s economy.
Soliyev said that specialists predict the country’s population will reach 7.931 million by autumn of 2007. ”According to the estimates of experts from the Ministry of Economy and Trade, some 130,000 citizens of the country will be placed in jobs annually,” said Soliyev, “Unfortunately, for financial and technical reasons, more than 140 enterprises have ceased operating.”
The minister suggested that a number of enterprises for processing farm produce should be launched in the country. “These enterprises will bring considerable profit to those who will invest in them,” Soliyev suggested.
”
Tajikistan
annually produces more than 1.5 million tons of agricultural products; of that, some 700,00 tons are exported to other countries,” he said. “We could increase production and export of farm produce if more was invested in the agrarian sector, he said.
On the sidelines of the forum, Tajik entrepreneurs conducted talks with businessmen from other countries to discuss furthering cooperation and launching joint ventures.
Forum participants included business people from
Tajikistan
,
Iran
and
Afghanistan
, as well as
Kazakhstan
,
Russia
, the United Arab Emirates (UAE),
Europe
and
America
.
