DUSHANBE, March 16, 2010, Asia-Plus — On Monday March 15, President Emomali Rahmon received visiting Director General of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Mr. Juan Miranda.
Mr. Miranda is the Director General of the Central and West Asia Department covering 10 countries — Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
According to presidential press service, the sides discussed state and prospects of further expansion of cooperation between the Government of Tajikistan, including ADB’s assistance program in the country, which focuses on strengthening regional cooperation through improving energy and transport infrastructure, and private sector development.
President Rahmon, in particular, noted that the ADB is one of large donors of Tajikistan and stressed that to-date, Tajikistan has received preferential loans for 372 million U.S. dollars, grants for 162 million U.S. dollars and technical assistance for 34 million U.S. dollars from the ADB.
The sides discussed issues related to implementation of Tajik government’s anti-crisis program as well as energy and transportation projects being implemented in Tajikistan and in the region.
Mr. Miranda highly appraised the anti-crisis measures taken by the Tajik government and noted that according to the ADB estimates, Tajikistan’s economy would be growing noticeably this year, presidential press service said.
The ADB official also noted that the ADB would allocate US$100 million to support Tajikistan’s anti-crisis programs and that that amount might be increased.
Mr. Miranda said that the ADB seconded Tajik government’s energy policy and intended to support it and he also hailed Tajik government’s decision to carry out the techno-economic and environmental and social studies for the Roghun hydroelectricity project, according to presidential press service.
In the course of the talks, the two also discussed issues related to conducting feasibility study for construction of other hydropower plants on the territory of Tajikistan, construction of power transmission line from Tajikistan to Afghanistan and the construction of a railway link connecting Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Iran, the source said.
We will recall that Mr. Miranda accompanied by Deputy Director General Werner Liepach, and Senior Adviser Tatsuya Kanai arrived in Tajikistan on March 15 to have talks with senior government officials and donors. Today, the delegation is departing for Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Tajikistan joined ADB in 1998, and to date has received total assistance of about $560 million in concessional loans, grants and technical assistance from this institution. ADB”s grant assistance package to Tajikistan for 2010 is about $74 million. The assistance program is expected to support energy and private sector development.
ADB, based in Manila, is dedicated to reducing poverty in the Asia and Pacific region through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration. Established in 1966, it is owned by 67 members – 48 from the region.
