The newly established Agency for Innovation and Digital Technologies under the Government of Tajikistan is reportedly tasked with developing and implementing national policies in the field of innovation and digitalization, with special emphasis on rolling out e-services as part of e-government.
"We actively support startups and innovative projects by developing measures to foster collaboration between universities, research institutions, and industry. One of our primary goals is to create a digital ecosystem, including the introduction of digital solutions in public services. Training skilled professionals for the industry is also among our top priorities," Khurshed Mirzo, Director of the Agency for Innovation and Digital Technologies, told Asia-Plus in an interview.
According to him, Agency collaborates with international partners to attract investments and exchange expertise, which will aid in integrating advanced technologies into Tajikistan’s economy and social sectors.
“The agency's main goals are to implement a unified state policy in the field of innovation and digital technologies, manage and regulate the rollout of e-government, which includes providing digital government services, handling electronic documents, using digital signatures, advancing e-commerce, regulating artificial intelligence, and improving technological processes,” Mr. Mirzo said.
To ensure seamless and secure access to government services, an inter-agency information system was reportedly developed, enabling timely data exchange through permanent databases. Service agencies are connected to this system, allowing direct or mirrored data transfer to a central database, simplifying service provision.
In terms of innovation, three roundtable discussions reportedly took place in September 2024, focusing on the current state of innovation, commercialization of scientific and technical developments, and the use of artificial intelligence in Tajikistan.
As a developing country, Tajikistan prioritizes IT development, e-government, and AI, Mirzo noted.
“We see startups as a vital source of new ideas and technologies that can significantly boost our economy's competitiveness and yield unique solutions for pressing challenges. Active support for accelerators, incubators, and other entrepreneurship initiatives creates a favorable environment for startups and fosters a thriving business ecosystem. Many startups are geared toward solving social and environmental issues, enhancing citizens' quality of life, and fostering sustainable societal development. For this reason, investing in small businesses and startups helps reduce reliance on traditional industries, making the economy more resilient to external pressures,” said he. “Thus, supporting startups and small businesses is a core strategy of our agency for achieving the republic's innovative and sustainable development.”
Tajikistan is reportedly also making strides in digitalizing the banking sector. In recent years, innovations such as e-wallets and P2P (peer-to-peer) transfers have been introduced.
Mirzo further noted that the introduction of smart meters for energy management is another part of these reforms. Moreover, innovative changes continue, and participants in the innovation sector can benefit from a special regulatory framework in innovation and digital technologies. This framework, approved on June 25, 2024, reportedly applies to implementing new types of activities and modern management methods, primarily within pilot projects.
