DUSHANBE, September 26, 2013, Asia-Plus — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $70 million grant for a project to magnify regional economic cooperation and inclusive growth in Tajikistan by improving key roads, enhancing road safety and maintenance, and promoting local community development, press release issued by the ADB Tajikistan Resident Mission (TJRM) on September 26 said.
The project will rehabilitate and improve road safety and maintenance on approximately 88 kilometers of the Sayron-Karamyk road section of CAREC Corridors 3 and 5, and 87 kilometers of the subnetwork Vose-Khovaling road.
“Good roads are absolutely essential for the economic development of any country and region. They greatly contribute to enhancing regional cooperation and improving competitiveness of countries,” said Zheng Wu, Transport Specialist at ADB’s Central and West Asia Department. “We expect that this project will also support social development and increase living standards of local people.”
The project will also improve about 30 kilometers of village feeder roads in Vose and Khovaling districts, construct roadside rest areas for male and female vendors and travelers, and pilot solar energy installations for villages with winter electricity deficiencies. Training on women’s entrepreneurship and the maintenance of solar power facilities, as well as public campaigns for community road safety awareness will also be provided.
The Government of Tajikistan will provide counterpart funding of $19 million. The Ministry of Transport will be the executing agency for the project, which is due for completion in 2017.
Tajikistan joined ADB in 1998 and, to date, the institution has approved total assistance of around $1.1 billion in concessional loans, grants, and technical assistance to the country. ADB’s operations benefit the population by reducing isolation, increasing communication, broadening access to electricity, improving social services, and creating more income-generating opportunities.
