DUSHANBE, September 23, 2009, Asia-Plus — The United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) allocates £ 17 million for reduction of poverty in Central Asia, the DFID Regional Director, Ms. Sue Wardell, announced at a press conference in Dushanbe on September 22.
Ms. Wardell noted that during her stay in Dushanbe she had held talks with Tajik officials to discuss difficulties in the way of development of the republic. According her, they discussed how international community, in particular DFID, could assist the country’s government with tackling poverty reduction problems. “During those meetings, I knew about steps taken by the government to solve the cotton debt problem, which is a serious obstacle on the way of development of the agrarian sector, and appreciated the government’s actions,” the DFID official said.
She noted that an active participation of the private sector was of significant importance for stimulating economic growth Tajikistan needs to recover from the global financial crisis and lay foundation for long-term sustainable development.
To implement its projects in Central Asia the DFID will allocate £ 17 million to support reduction of poverty through promoting sustainable and inclusive economic growth, the DFID regional director said.
The Department for International Development (DFID) is the part of the United Kingdom Government that manages Britain’s aid to developing countries and works to get rid of extreme poverty.
DFID supports long-term programs to help tackle the underlying causes of poverty in over 150 countries world-wide. DFID also responds to humanitarian crises around the world, providing funding to relief operations, search and rescue expertise and emergency supplies to help save lives.
DFID has been present in Tajikistan since 2003 and is working with the Government and donors to support the eradication of poverty and promote sustainable development. It has provided around £ 8 million during the period 2003 to 2007, with an allocation of £ 5 million for 2008-2009. It intends to develop a more regional approach to its work in Central Asia. In Tajikistan DFID will focus on economic growth, governance, aid effectiveness and human capital components of the regional strategy.
