DUSHANBE, November 1, Asia-Plus – The Government of Switzerland has awarded a grant of US$1 million to Tajikistan to support development of its export potential, according to the Ministry of Economy and Trade (MET).
The MET source said that the grant is aimed at helping Tajik Government strengthen sustainable expansion and diversification of export of small and medium-sized enterprises in Tajikistan.
The granted funds will be provided to International Trade Center, which is an agency for technical cooperation, set up in cooperation with the UN Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the World Trade Organization (WTO), according to the source.
The grant will be spent for implementing the second phase of the program for supporting development of trade in Tajikistan, the source said, noting that the Swiss Government has provided economic development grants to Tajikistan since 1993.
The main objective of the program is in raising a level of export competitiveness of enterprises in the farm-produce-processing sector.
Today, Tajikistan’s export potential amounts to US$2.5 billion and experts expect the country’s export potential to double by 2015. At present Tajik exports mainly include primary aluminum, cotton and electric power. Aluminum accounts for 75 percent of the country’s exports, cotton for 13 percent and electric power for some 5 percent. It is expected that by 2015, Tajikistan’s exports will have included some hundred items.
