DUSHANBE, December 14, 2012, Asia-Plus — The Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (MEDT) is holding the sixth meeting of the Coordination Council on Free Economic Zones (FEZs) today with the support from the OSCE Office in Tajikistan.
The meeting that has brought together representatives of all involved governmental agencies as well as representatives of private sector and international organizations active in the country is reportedly considering issues related to strengthening the capacity of government to develop free economic zone sin the country.
The meeting is also reviewing the results of work carried out to develop FEZs and measures taken to ensure the implementation of decisions made at the fifth meeting of the Council that took place here last May.
Tajikistan passed the first law on free economic zones in 2004 and the law on FEZs in new edition was adopted in 2011. To-date, four free economic zones – SUGHD, DANGHARA, PANJ, and ISHKASHIM – have been created in the country. FEZ SUGHD has registered twenty corporate residents of the free economic zone, FEZ PANJ – 5, and FEZs ISHKASHIM and DANGHARA – 2 each.
On March 29, 2010, the OSCE Office and Tajikistan”s Ministry of Economic Development and Trade signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the OSCE”s involvement in enhancing the Ministry”s capacity to coordinate the involvement and activities of international and national organizations for the development of free economic zones in the country. The Coordination Council on Free Economic Zones was created under this agreement.
The OSCE Office supports Tajik Government in the development of free economic zones both at policy level and with targeted expert support for each individual zone.
