DUSHANBE, December 8, 2015, Asia-Plus – Tajik President Emomali Rahmon today received Ms. Natalia Khanjenkova, the Managing Director for Turkey and Central Asia at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
According to the Tajik president’s official website, the two sides discussed state and prospects of further expansion of cooperation between Tajikistan and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
President Rahmon reportedly appreciated EBRD’s support for development of private sector, improvement of investment climate, enhancement of the energy sector and development of commercial banks in Tajikistan.
Rahmon and Khanjenkova also discussed cooperation between Tajikistan and the Bank in improvement of infrastructure, water supply system and banking sector in the country and in implementing investment projects, the website said.
The issue of establishment of regional and international cooperation on enhancement of social, environmental protection and energy sectors of Tajikistan was also raised at the meeting.
Ms Khanjenkova is the first EBRD Managing Director for this region based in Istanbul, underscoring its importance for the Bank. She leads the EBRD’s activities in Turkey and Central Asia including Mongolia.
Ms. Khanjenkova began her EBRD career at London headquarters in 1993. Previous to taking up the new position in Istanbul, she was Managing Director for Russia, based in Moscow.
In July this year, EBRD approved a new country strategy which will guide its work in Tajikistan in the next four years.
The Bank’s main priorities in the country will be: enabling economic growth by supporting expansion of private enterprise, notably small and medium-sized enterprises, and helping improve the business environment; improving public utility services, as well as their operational and financial efficiency, through commercialization and corporatization; and fostering regional connectivity and economic integration.
Across all its activities, the EBRD will promote climate resilience and gender equality.
In 2014, EBRD reportedly increased investments in Tajikistan to a record US$ 75 million. This year, the Bank expects to invest about US$ 200 million thanks to some high-profile projects of regional importance, including the modernization of Tajikistan’s electricity transmission infrastructure. Since the beginning of its operations in the country in 1992, the EBRD has invested over US$ 460 million in various sectors of Tajikistan’s economy.
