DUSHANBE


, January 18, Asia-Plus – In 2005,


Tajikistan


produced 375,300 tons of primary aluminum for a total amount of 1.6908 billion Somonis, Muboraksho Makhshulov, an official with the Ministry of Economy and Trade (MET), announced at a news conference in


Dushanbe


on January 17.  

According to him, this amount (1.6908 billion Somonis) is 41 percent of a total cost of industrial goods produced in


Tajikistan


last year.  He added that in 2004,


Tajikistan


produced 342,600 tons of primary aluminum.  

“Revenues made from export of aluminum amounted to US$553 million in 2005,” the MET official said, noting that last year, the price of aluminum was at the rate of US$1,500 per ton.     

“Production of aluminum is the main source of forming the revenue part of the country’s national budget,” said Mr. Makhshulov, “Increase in production of aluminum in the republic depends on expedient implementation of an agreement between the Government of Tajikistan and the Russian company RusAl.” 

The MET official noted that RusAl planned to invest in modernization of ten electrolysis workshops at the Tajik Aluminum Plant (TadAZ) and construct two other electrolysis workshops with an annual capacity of 10,000 tons at the plant.  A total amount of Russian investment in the aluminum production in


Tajikistan


is expected to exceed US$750 million.  

DUSHANBE


, January 18, Asia-Plus – Over US$1 million have been provided to investigate corruption, and strengthening the role of the parliament and of the citizens in the fight against corruption

According to information from the UNDP Dushanbe Office, with support from the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), UNDP Tajikistan will intensify its work to help the country tackle corruption.  While SIDA contributes with $1,1 Million, UNDP will contribute about $120000 of its own resources for the project, which consists of three different components, which will help


Tajikistan


get rid of corruption.

After studying corruption in


Tajikistan


using methods such as surveys and focus groups, UNDP will present a white paper, analysing the situation and providing a menu of possible activities to tackle corruption.  The white paper is intended as a tool for the government, civil society, the media and other concerned groups or individuals to formulate strategies against corruption.

The second component of the projects consists of strengthening the parliament’s role in monitoring and controlling the state budget. Parliamentarians and key public servants will receive support to develop a policy for what role the parliament should play the budgetary process, as well as training in budget revision. The project will also support increased cooperation between the parliament and the revision function of the presidential administration.

Finally, the project will work to raise awareness among the public about corruption, and about measures to fight corruption. Not the least, the project will be directed towards the youth, through measures such as comics with anti-corruption- themes.

Taken together, the components of the projects should lead to increased knowledge about corruption, and provide with a framework for a deepened discussion in


Tajikistan


about how to fight corruption. The SIDA-sponsored project will last for three years.

Although most legitimate stakeholders agree that corruption is a serious problem, there is still a lack of detailed information about the phenomenon and its mechanisms. The results from a first study that UNDP has carried out together with the Institute for Strategic Studies, however, points to corruption being widespread in important societal sectors such as health care, education and the judicial system.

DUSHANBE


, January 18, Asia-Plus – The second meeting of the joint Tajik-Moldavian commission for economic and trade cooperation is supposed to be held in


Dushanbe


in early February.  

The source in the Ministry of Economy and Trade (MET) has told Asia-plus that the Industries Minister Zayd Saidov is co-chairman of this commission.    

According to the MET source, the commission’s session is aiming to consider issues related to bilateral cooperation between


Tajikistan


and


Moldova


in different branches of economy, including industry, agrarian sector, commerce and processing of farm produce.

The session is expected to end with signing of a number of documents on expansion of trade and economic cooperation between the two countries.

DUSHANBE


, January 18, Asia-Plus – Compared to 2004 a number of subscribers to the periodical press increased by 7 percent last year, the Minister of Communications, Said Zuvaydov, told journalists on January 17.  

“In 2004, a number of subscribers in the republic was 10,573 people, while last year, this figure increased up to 11,313,” the minister said, noting that retail of the periodical press dropped last year.  “In 2005, 14,131 copies of various publications were sold in the retail trade, which is 15 percent fewer compared to 2004,” Zuvaydov noted.  

At present, 60 post centers and 561 post-offices are functioning in


Tajikistan


, according to the minister.  

On rendering Internet service, the minister noted that number of users of the global network and e-mail in


Tajikistan


was more than 26,000 people.   In 2005, a number of Internet access sites in the republic exceeded 400.    

DUSHANBE


, January 17, Asia-Plus – Now Tajik national TV can be picked up by about 98 percent of the population, the Communications Minister, Said Zuvaydov, announced at a news conference in


Dushanbe


on January 17.  

“To a large extent, it has resulted from the implementation of the “2005 Mavji Somon” program in Sughd and Khatlon provinces as well as in the districts subordinate to the center,” said Zuvaydov, “Under this program, 120 TV and radio relay stations have been installed across the country.”  According to him, 46 such stations have been installed in Sughd, 21 in Khatlon and 53 in the districts subordinate to the center.  

The minister noted that due to those stations, now Tajik national TV could be picked up even in some settlements of


Uzbekistan


and


Afghanistan


.  

Besides, according to him, the open joint-stock company “Tajik Telecom” and the open joint-stock company “TeleRadioCom” installed 11 FM relay stations in


Sughd


Province


and 11 other FM relay stations in


Khatlon


Province


for broadcasting the first and the third programs of Tajik state Radio.  “” The same relay stations were also installed in the districts subordinate to the center (13) and in Gorno Badakhshan (6),” Mr. Zuvaydov noted.