DUSHANBE, July 19, 2010, Asia-Plus — Tajikistan has opened its door to foreign investors for mutually beneficial cooperation, Davlatali Saidov, the head of the State Committee for Investments and State-owned Property Management (GosKomInvest), remarked during an address to conference of representatives from Tajik and Pakistani business communities in Dushanbe on July 19.
According to him, Tajik-Pakistani bilateral economic cooperation was now at a good level and a two-way trade between the two countries has been increasing from to year. “Compared to 2005, trade between our countries in 2009 increased ten times.” Sid Saidov, “Over the first five months of this year, trade between Tajikistan and Pakistan has amounted to 8 million U.S. dollars.”
The GosKomInvest head noted that Tajikistan had created numerous opportunities for investors and outlined sectors like energy (construction and hydropower plants and electricity transmission lines), agriculture (cotton processing) and aluminum production as areas that could drive bilateral trade between the two countries. Companies investing in construction of hydropower plants are exempted from paying nine types of taxes, Saidov noted.
Mr. Saleem H. Mandviwala, Minister of State/Chairman, Board of Investment (BOI), of Pakistan, for his part, noted that his country was ready for all-round cooperation with Tajikistan, including the launch of joint ventures. “I think businesspeople must use this opportunity and establish mutually beneficial cooperation in all sectors of economy,” said Mr. Mandviwala, “Tajikistan is an open country and we hope there will be not any serious difficulties in cooperation between our countries.”
On the investment opportunities provided by Tajikistan, the first deputy head of GosKomInvest, Amonjon Eshonqulov, noted that Tajikistan had adopted laws providing for protection of investments and the country’s tax and customs laws provided for a number of privileges for investors. “Unfortunately, due to lack of financing some 20 percent of Tajikistan’s agrarian sector has not operated and we hope the Tajik-Pakistani business forum will promote further expansion of bilateral mutually beneficial cooperation in the field of agriculture as well,” Eshonqulov said.
The Tajik-Pakistani business forum is concluding on July 20. The conference participants are also expected to visit the Tajik Aluminum Company (TALCO), closed joint-stock company (CJSC) Resandai Qurghon Teppa, limited liability company Alkon Dushanbe, CJSC Hasan & C. They are also scheduled to hold talks with senior representatives of the Tajik ministries of health and energy and industries.
We will recall that Mr. Saleem H. Mandviwala heading of group of Pakistani businessmen, numbering 17 people, arrived in Tajikistan last Sunday for a three-day working visit.
