KHUJAND, December 25, Asia-Plus — A ceremony of presentation of the Business Environment Improvement (BEI) Project, launched by the United Sates Agency for International Development (USAID), was held in Khujand on Saturday, December 23.
Nurullo Shukurov, manager of the BEI Project for Tajikistan, said in an interview with Asia-Plus that the project is being implemented by the Pragma Corporation, a U.S.-based consulting company with 10 years of direct experience in implementing USAID projects in the region.
Launched in October 2006, the 4-year BEI project supports USAID’s strategic objectives in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan by providing direct consultation and support to build capacity within government and private sector counterparts to promote effective dialogue, improve implementation of business-related legal reforms and streamline administrative processes for the benefit of small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
The goal of the BEI Project is to promote entrepreneurship and economic development by reducing the legal, regulatory, and administrative burden for SMEs by working with governments to streamline legal and regulatory processes and facilitate informed and effective dialogue between the private and public sectors. Constructive, multi-party engagement in the reform process will result in better SME policies, deregulation at the local, national and regional level, proper implementation of laws and regulations and stronger business associations, leading to an improved business environment for SMEs and to a more diversified economic growth.
“The project has two offices in each of these three countries,” said Shukurov, “We would also want the project to cover Khatlon and Gorno Badakhshan in addition to Dushanbe and Sughd.”
