Tajik President Emomali Rahmon has met with Mr. Wencai Zhang, the Vice-President (Operations 1) of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), here to discuss concessional financing for Tajik projects..
President Emomali Rahmon received visiting ADB Vice-President, Wencai Zhang, on September 22, according to the Tajik president’s official website.
In the course of the talks, Rahmon reportedly expressed satisfaction with the level of cooperation between Tajikistan and the Asian Development Bank.
Emomali Rahmon and Wencai Zhang exchanged views on issues related to further expansion of cooperation between Tajikistan and the Bank in developing the private sector in Tajikistan, improving the investment climate in the country, and expanding regional cooperation.
Global financial and economic crisis has affected Tajikistan’s economy and Tajikistan has asked the Asian Development Bank to consider the possibility of concessional financing for the projects aiming at rehabilitating the Norak hydroelectric power plant (HPP) and the Qurghonteppa-Danghara-Kulob and Vahdat-Jirgatol-Karamik roads, the president’s website said.
Mr. Zhang, who is responsible for operations in the South Asia Department and the Central and West Asia Department, has arrived in Dushanbe to present the ADB new five-year country partnership strategy (CPS) for Tajikistan. The new CPS will be presented on September 23.
Since Tajikistan joined ADB in 1998, ADB has approved over $1.4 billion in concessional loans, grants, and technical assistance to the country. ADB’s current partnership strategy with Tajikistan focuses on improved connectivity, energy security, and private sector development.
ADB operations in Tajikistan aim to help the country achieve higher and more inclusive and sustainable economic growth by addressing binding constraints to development.
The strategic objective of the country partnership strategy (CPS), 2016–2020 of ADB for Tajikistan is to help the government achieve sustained and inclusive growth that is less susceptible to external shocks and create higher-paying jobs.
Three pathways are proposed to achieve this: 1) continue infrastructure investments in energy and transport where ADB has had a lead role and initiate support for integrated urban development; 2) sequence investment climate reforms, technical and vocational education and training (TVET), backed with knowledge work focusing on economic diversification; 3) and integrate food security with value-chain development, water resources management, and climate change adaptation targeting poorer regions.
