DUSHANBE, October 9, 2012, Asia-Plus — Ensuring that public goods and services are acquired through more effective, transparent and accountable process was the main theme of the joint Public Procurement Workshop held by the representatives of the Agency on Procurement of the Republic of Tajikistan and the World Bank in Dushanbe on October 8.
According to press release issued by the World Bank Tajikistan Country Office, the event was attended by the experts from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the United Nations Commission for International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), as well as the officials of state ministries and members of multiple donor organizations. Participants reviewed key challenges and opportunities associated with establishing better public procurement practices as outlined in the World Bank Country Procurement Status Report (CPSR), prepared in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank, upon the request of the Government of Tajikistan.
“Improving the capacity and transparency of public procurement system is critical to ensuring that state finances are spent wisely to best serve the interests of Tajik people,” notes Marsha Olive, World Bank Tajikistan Country Manager. “Moreover, sound public procurement practices are an essential component of good governance.”
Although the country’s procurement legislature and regulatory framework has seen improvements in the past years, the World Bank CPSR presents several key recommendations and a suggested action plan to further strengthen the public procurement system. These include integrating procurement into the governance sector reform agenda, alignment of the current procurement rules and regulations with best international standards, and practicing greater stakeholder participation in procurement process monitoring and oversight. In addition, the report emphasizes the substantial gains achieved by several countries in reforming the public procurement systems through cost reduction.
Participants of the event have explored implementation of recommendations listed under the CPSR suggested action plan by means of adapting the EBRD UNCITRAL Initiative on Enhancing Public Procurement Regulations, as well as developing and approving a National Public Procurement Strategy for the years of 2012-2014. Once realized, these activities aim to increase the institutional capacity of the State Procurement Agency, clearly define the roles and responsibilities of procurement bodies, as well as strengthen internal and external procurement audit and anti-corruption measures.
The current World Bank portfolio in Tajikistan consists of 14 projects with net commitments of US$236 million. The largest share of the portfolio is in the energy and water sector (35 percent) followed by agriculture and rural development (31 percent), human development – education, health and social protection (30 percent), and economic policy and public sector (4 percent). In addition, planned projects include further support for improvements in tax administration, food security and healthcare.
Since 1996, the World Bank’s cooperation program with Tajikistan has entailed 85 operations for about US$ 700 million. These continue to benefit the people of Tajikistan by contributing to improved education, better access to healthcare, enhanced land rights, more jobs in rural areas, an improved business environment, and private sector development.
