KHOROG, June 15, 2015, Asia-Plus — The fall in migrant remittances caused by Russia’s economic crisis has negatively impacted living conditions in the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO).
According to data from the GBAO department for economic development and trade, labor migrants have remitted little more than 8.150 million U.S. dollars to banks in Gorno Badakhshan over the first four months of this year, which was 6.257 million U.S. dollars fewer than in the same period last year.
In 2014, labor migrants remitted 49.675 million U.S. dollars to banks in Gorno Badakhshan, which was 8.791 million U.S. dollars fewer than in 2013.
Besides, lending has sharply decreased in the region over the first four months of this year. In January-April, local banks have provided only 39.4 million somoni in loans, which was 22.846 million somoni fewer than in the same period last year.
According to official data, more than 34,000 residents of Gorno Badakhshan are currently outside the country, primarily in the Russian Federation, seeking better labor opportunities. But local experts say that real number of labor migrants from Gorno Badakhshan working outside the country is much higher.
Labor migrants reportedly constitute more than 15 percent of the total population and more than 25 percent of the economically active population of the region.
It should be noted that current average monthly age in Gorno Badakhshan amounts to only 667 somoni.
According to official data, only 3,500 unemployed people have been registered in Gorno Badakhshan to date while local experts say the real number of unemployed people in the area is higher several times than the official data shows.
Migrant remittances are the largest single source of foreign currency in Tajikistan and an important factor in declining poverty rates throughout the country in recent years.
