DUSHANBE, May 15, Asia-Plus — State and prospects of further expansion of cooperation between Tajikistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) were discussed at a May 14 meeting of President Emomali Rahmon with Carlos Pinerua, the head of the IMF mission to Tajikistan.
Following a meeting with President Rahmon, Pinerua told journalists that IMF assesses the economic development pace in Tajikistan as high and the inflation situation as changing for better.
According to him, they discussed issues related to the upcoming meeting of donors on Tajikistan. He named this meeting “a historic opportunity for Tajikistan to demonstrate the international community how far it has advanced in economic development over the past ten years.”
Asked about the agenda of the upcoming meeting of donors, the IMF mission head said that the WB-sponsored meeting of donors will be held in Dushanbe on June 2. According to him, energy and agricultural reforms, as well as Tajikistan’s national development program for the coming ten years are supposed to be discussed at the meeting.
On the inflation situation in Tajikistan, Carlos Pinerua said that inflation in Tajikistan last year was at the rate of 12 percent, while the authorities’ inflation target for 2006 had been determined at 7 percent. Increase in the inflation rate resulted from low yields of some agricultural crops in the country, including potatoes, according to him. “We expect inflation to be at the rate of 9 percent this year, mainly because of change in electrical power tariffs,” Pinerua said, noting that rise in electrical power rates is necessary for improvement of financial state of Barqi Tojik power holding.
On prospects of further expansion of cooperation between the Fund and Tajikistan, the IMF mission head reminded that IMF has supported Tajikistan over the past six years and intends to retain cooperation with Tajikistan in future as well. “Technical assistance will be provided and we are ready to finance in case of necessity,” said Pinerua. “But at present the situation in the country is improving; finances are attracted from other countries and our financing is not required.”
