DUSHANBE, September 3, 2009, Asia-Plus — Work on designing the free economic zones (FEZ) Sughd in northern Tajikistan and Panj in the Khatlon province will be funded from the national budget, Deputy Economic Development and Trade Minister, Umed Davlatzod, said in an interview with Asia-Plus.
According to him, administrations of these FEZs will also be maintained at the expense of the country’s budget. “The government is currently considering a resolution on allocation of these funds,” the deputy minister said, noting that the funds will be provided in a form of preferential loan.
The work on developing legal foundation of functioning of FEZs in the country is under way.
Tajik government passed a law on Free Economic Zones in 2004, establishing zones in Sughd and Panj. These zones create favorable conditions that stimulate investment opportunities in Tajikistan, creating more jobs, boosting local production, and increasing the country’s export potential.
On the possibility of participation of international financial institutions in financing creation of the FEZs infrastructure, Davlatzod noted, “Under the conditions of the global financial crisis, international financial institutions support such projects on the basis of co-financing; if the government allocates a certain amount, they will consider the possibility of co-financing the project.”
We will recall that the USAID Dushanbe Office reported on August 18 this year that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has presented office equipment and furniture worth 23,000 USD to the Sughd FEZ. This gift was made through the USAID Regional Customs and Trade Liberalization Project (RCTL), which is working to make it easier for businesses in Tajikistan to import and export goods.
As it had been reported earlier, an August 28 government session passed a resolution on establishing FEZs in Ishkashim (Gorno Badakhshan) and Danghara (Khatlon province) and regulations on these FEZs was sent for confirmation to the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament).
