DUSHANBE, January 23, Asia-Plus — The World Bank intends to write off Tajikistan’s debt next month.

Visiting Senior Vice-President of the World Bank Francois Bourguignon, told journalists this in Dushanbe on January 23 following his meeting with Tajik President Emomali Rahmonov.

Bourguignon put Tajikistan’s debt to the World Bank at more than US$300 million.

“This issue should be coordinated with heads of state from member nations of the G-8 and the World Bank’s Board of Directors in early February,” Francois Bourguignon noted. 

“During the meeting President Rahmonov and me discussed issues related to cooperation between the Government of Tajikistan and the Bank as well as exchanged views on a new long-term strategy of Tajikistan on reduction of poverty,” Mr. Bourguignon noted.  

We will recall that the International Monetary Fund wrote off Tajikistan’s debt in December last year under the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI).

DUSHANBE, January 23, Asia-Plus — Ukraine and Tajikistan intend to coordinate the main directions of cooperation in rehabilitation and modernization of the Norak, Golovanya and Qairoqqum hydropower plants in Tajikistan.  

According to the source in the Ministry of Economy and Trade (MET), the parties are supposed to determine concrete projects, on which they will cooperate, and consider issues related to supply of the equipment and spare parts during the first quarter of the year

“The Kharkov-based “Electrotyazhmash” plant has already expressed readiness to supply nine generators for the Norak hydroelectric power station before the end of 2009,” the MET source said.  

The source reminded that this and many other issues were discussed in the course of the second session of the Tajik-Ukrainian joint commission for economic cooperation that was held in Kiev in early December last year.  The session resulted in signing of a protocol on economic cooperation, which recommended Ukrainian economic entities to participate in tenders for the construction of Sangtuda and Roghun power plants as well as small and medium power plants in Gorno Badakhshan and on the Zarafshon River in Tajikistan, according to the Asia-Plus interlocutor.  

The protocol also provides for launch of joint ventures for joint development of gas, oil and coal deposits in Tajikistan.  

DUSHANBE, January 23, — In 2005, the Tajik Aluminum Plant (TadAZ) reached 95.4 percent of the rated electrolyze capacity, for the first time since 1991, and produced 381,700 tons of aluminum.  Compared to the determined target for 2005, the index of the volume of Tajikistan’s aluminum production amounted to 101.1 percent and compared to 2004 the index of the volume of aluminum production amounted to 106 percent.  

According to Muboraksho Makhshulov, a high-ranking official with the Tajik Ministry of Economy and Trade (MET), the aluminum production increased by 32,700 tons year-on-year and raked in $563 million.

The aluminum industry is the Tajikistan”s main source of income.  Due to increase in production of aluminum there was nearly US$50-million increase in Tajikistan’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2005.   

According to the source in the TadAZ, the revenue part of the plant’s budget for 2005 got 112 million Somonis (US$35.8 million).  “This index was reached even despite sudden increase in prices of alumina and fuel,” the Asia-Plus interlocutor said.  The received profit has gone to developing social infrastructure of the plant, including the construction of residential buildings and schools, according to the source.  

The source says the plant’s administration takes environmental impact into consideration and in 2005, 13.426 million Somonis were provided to minimize influence on the environment, which is 9.249 million Somonis more compared to 2004. 

An average monthly wage of employees at the plant increased by 25 percent, which is one of the highest indices in the republic.   

TadAZ remains the largest taxpayer in the republic.  “In 2005, the plant transferred to the country’s budget 157.5 million Somonis (equivalent to US$50.5 million), which is 61 percent more compared to 2004,” the source in the plant’s administration said.  

“In 2005, the plant consumed 6.5684 billion kWh of electricity for an amount of 169.4 million Somonis and 95.5 million cubic meters of natural gas for more than 14.7 million Somonis,” the source said, noting that the plant paid more than 135 million Somonis to the “Barqi Tojik” [Tajik electricity] open joint-stock holding company for electric power imported from Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan in the autumn-winter period.  

TadAZ has worked out an investment program on technical modernization for 2006, according to the source.  An estimated budget for the implementation of this program is more than US$19.7 million.  

KULOB, January 23, Asia-Plus – The Kulob Civil Society Support Center and



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“Khatlon-Press” held a roundtable meeting formally titled “Ways of Combating Corruption” in Kulob at the end of last week.    

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head, Dodarbek Saydaliyev, has told Asia-Plus that the meeting participants included representatives from the Islamic Revival Party (IRPT), Socialist Party (SPT) and Democratic Party (DPT), as well as representatives from the Kulob mayor’s, media and local NGOs.     

Participants at the meeting noted that corruption had corroded the high echelons of power so much that that it was impossible to combat corruption in the republic from above and now everything depended on society itself.  During the meeting it was noted that media could make significant contribution to the fight against corruption in the republic.