DUSHANBE, June 8, Asia-Plus – The results of a development forum and prospects of cooperation between Tajikistan and the World Bank (WB) were major topics of a June 7 meeting of President Emomali Rahmon with visiting WB Vice-President for Europe and Central Asia Shigeo Katsu and the World Bank Country Director for Central Asia Annette Dixon.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Mr. Katsu noted that international community positively assessed provisions of Tajikistan’s national development strategy and a progress made in reduction of poverty.
The development forum in Dushanbe yielded some US$ 600 million donor commitments. Mr. Katsu noted that that figure is not final because some donors are still defining more precisely their opportunities. “With taking into consideration ongoing reforms in the country, it possible to count on increase of this figure,” the WB vice-president said.
He underlined the importance of development of hydropower, agriculture, education and health sectors, as well as structural reforms and macroeconomic stability in Tajikistan.
For her part, asked about possibility of the WB participation in the consortium for completing construction of the Roghun power plant in Tajikistan, Ms Dixon noted that the Bank has not yet received analytical data on the results of feasibility study conducted for the project. “As soon as we receive it, an appropriate decision will be made,” she said, noting that although the final cost of the project has not yet been defined, it will be some $2.5 billion. According to Ms. Dixon, the consortium should have state-private (combined) structure.
Mr. Katsu added that the World Bank together with other international financial institution is providing technical and consultative assistance with implementation of the Sangtuda-1 hydroelectricity project. He also noted that the Bank is also assisting Tajikistan with conducting negotiations with its southern neighbors (Afghanistan and Pakistan) on future electricity supplies to those countries.
On the present cotton debts crisis in Tajikistan, Katsu called it one of the key problems. Today it is necessary to work out a mechanism in order that farmers would be provided with funds for purchasing seeds, chemicals and other means,” the WB vice-president said.
On the poverty reduction strategy, Ms. Dixon pointed to the necessity of attracting foreign and domestic investments. “It is necessary to launch new companies and create new jobs,” the WB country director said, adding that it would be also good to attract airlines of other countries.
