DUSHANBE, December 5, Asia-Plus — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) appointed Makoto Ojiro as the new Country Director for Tajikistan, effective 27 November 2007.
Speaking to journalists in Dushanbe today, Mr. Ojiro said that as Country Director of the Tajikistan Resident Mission (TJRM), he will be responsible for delivering ADB’s development assistance program to Tajikistan, totaling nearly $190 million over the next three years, as provided in the Tajikistan Country Operations Business Plan for 2008-2010.
According to him, he will also oversee the implementation of ADB’s current investment portfolio in Tajikistan, consisting of 14 investment projects totaling around $292 million, two of which are delegated to TJRM for implementation.
Mr. Ojiro will also continue to work with the government and development partners for improved regional economic cooperation in Central Asia.
He outlined providing assistance in enhancing agrarian, transportation, energy and social sectors in Tajikistan as priorities of TJRM.
On the $190-million assistance program, the ADB country director noted that priority for the coming three-four years would be agrarian sector. “Next year, we plan to provide assistance in an amount of $140 million with restructuring the cotton sector; the second and the third tranches will be provided in 2009-2010”
On the energy sector, Mr. Ojiro said that the preliminary plan envisaged provision of $26 million for rehabilitation of energy system. However, the specific facilities will be determined next year.
Mr. Ojiro joined ADB in 1992, and has served in various capacities. Prior to joining TJRM, he worked as a principal transport economist at ADB Headquarters in Manila. Mr. Ojiro has 18 years of professional experience in country programming work and processing and implementing transport projects in Asia. This includes formulation of the Country Partnership Strategies for China, Mongolia and the Kyrgyz Republic; processing 10 ADB loans for highways and roads in China, Mongolia and the Kyrgyz Republic; developing road sector policies and strategies for these three countries; and carrying out economic and sector analysis for roads, railways, ports and civil aviation in 13 countries.
Mr. Ojiro holds a Bachelor’s degree in business/economics from Sophia University, Japan, and a Master’s in project management, University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, U.K.
Located in Dushanbe, TJRM”s responsibilities include: policy dialogue; country reporting; country strategy and program formulation; regional cooperation; portfolio management; project administration; economic and sector work; financial and administrative activities; coordination of ADB”s activities with the Government, donors, NGOs, academic institutions, private sector, and other members of civil society; and external relations and information dissemination.
Tajikistan joined ADB in 1998. ADB has provided assistance to Tajikistan’s economy, mainly in rural development and agriculture, transport, energy and social sectors. As of Nov. 15, 2007, Tajikistan has received $352.5 million in loans, $33.0 million in technical assistance and $39.5 million in grants.
