The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $86.67 million grant to help Tajikistan further improve national road connectivity by developing a demonstration green corridor in the country. The project will upgrade the existing degraded two lane 49-kilometer Dangara–Guliston road, widening this to four lanes. The project is the first to pilot the innovative methods promoted in
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) sponsored the fourth International Khatlon Invest and Bokhtar Food Forum–2024 from October 17 to 18 in Tajikistan’s Khatlon region. Co-hosted by the Khatlon Regional Government and the Export Development Agency of Tajikistan, and other international partners, this event enhanced regional trade and connectivity across Central Asia and
A court in Dushanbe has sentenced the leader of an opposition group that has been sharply critical of the government and another group member to lengthy prison sentences for “extremism,” RFE/RL’s Tajik Service reported. Suhrob Zafar, the leader of Group 24, and Nasimjon Sharifov were sentenced to 30 years and 20 years in prison, respectively. The sentences
Umed Bobozoda, Tajikistan’s human rights commissioner, voiced serious concerns over the mistreatment of Tajik migrants in Russia, RFE/RL’s Tajik Service reported. In a letter to his Russian counterpart, Tatyana Moskalkova, Bobozoda accused Russian law enforcement of using illegal methods, including physical abuse and unjustified detentions, particularly since a deadly terrorist attack at the Crocus City
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), in partnership with the State Committee for Investments and State Property Management of Tajikistan, the State Business Incubator, and the public organization Toji Nurafshon (Tajikistan Venture Capital) hosted the Startupstan Summit 2024 in Dushanbe on October 12-13. The Startupstan Summit 2024 is a platform to foster partnerships among
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved additional grant financing of $15 million to help Tajikistan scale up an ongoing project to reconnect the country’s power system to the Central Asian Power System (CAPS) through interconnections with neighboring Uzbekistan. “Through the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) program, ADB actively promotes regional power trade among countries in
As of 30 September 2024, the “Work in the EAEU” mobile app, developed by the Eurasian Development Bank’s (EDB) Fund for Digital Initiatives, has launched public and commercial services for migrant workers in Tajikistan. This enables individuals seeking employment in Tajikistan to access the necessary services directly from their smartphones. The app now offers services
Companies and households in Tajikistan will have better access to green technologies and climate adaptation measures thanks to a new financing program approved by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for one of the country’s leading banks, the First Microfinance Bank (FMFB), which operates a nationwide network of 7 branches and 40 banking service centres in all
Tajik officials have said that electricity rationing is being introduced a month earlier than usual this year, RFE/RL’s Tajik Service reported. Electricity rationing has turned into an annual routine in Tajikistan over the past three decades. It is usually introduced in late October or early November. But the Barqi Tojik state energy holding announced over the weekend
On September 19, the United States Government officially launched the reconstructed water supply system in Palos municipality in Tajikistan’s Buston city. This project, part of USAID’s Rural Water Supply (RWS) Activity, aims to provide safe drinking water to underserved communities across Tajikistan, the U.S. Embassy in Tajikistan reported. Previously, only 50% of Palos municipality’s 4,500
On September 18, Kazakhstan Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov held the first meeting of the Board of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) under the chairmanship of Kazakhstan. The meeting with the heads of delegations of the participating countries of the Fund considered the issues of joint use of transboundary water resources, as
The 2nd summit of Central Asian countries and Germany was held on September 17 in Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana. Chaired by Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the meeting was attended by Federal Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz, President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov, President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, and President of Uzbekistan Shavkat
In the first five months of the current solar year (which begins on March 21), Afghanistan has conducted trade worth nearly $700 million with Central Asian countries, TOLOnews reported with reference to the Afghan Ministry of Industry and Commerce. Akhundzada Abdul Salam Jawad, spokesperson for the ministry, said that trade between Afghanistan and Central Asian
The Government of Japan and UN Development Programme (UNDP) have agreed upon a new $4.9 million project, “Enhancing Urban Resilience to Disaster Risk and Climate Change in Central Asia”. The signing ceremony was held on September 11 in Astana, Kazakhstan. The project aims to enhance urban resilience to climate-driven risks in Central Asia by utilizing regional collaborative mechanisms and national transformational strategies, fostering sustainable
The Tajik Embassy in Moscow on September 10 warned citizens against traveling to Russia for the time being, citing beefed-up security measures and increased document checks by Russian border guards, RFE/RL’s Tajik Service reported. Last week, the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry put out a similar statement to its citizens citing the same reasons. Central Asian migrant
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has provided 14 sets of off-grid solar power systems to farms, households, schools, and border outposts on the Tajik-Afghan border which had limited or no access to electricity. The beneficiaries of the project were located in Jamoat Sarichashma, Shamsiddin Shohin district, in the Khatlon region of
Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry and Freedom Bank, on one side, and Tajikistan’s Agency for Innovation and Digital Technologies and Amonatbank, on the other side, last week signed a memorandum of cooperation in the development of IT technologies and innovations. The parties agreed to cooperate in the development of digital infrastructure
On August 22, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev arrived in Tajikistan on a state visit and held talks with President Emomali Rahmon. Following the talks, the presidents signed a Treaty on allied relations between Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. President Rahmon emphasized the historical importance of signing the Treaty and stated that “this important document will undoubtedly open
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on 21 August said it has approved a $17.5 million grant to help improve women’s agricultural skills and boost food security in Tajikistan. The Resilient Livelihoods and Empowerment of Rural Women Project aims to improve productivity of women-led farms, strengthen agriculture processing and storage facilities, and enhance support to vulnerable women in
The Committee to Protect Journalists on August 19 called on Tajik authorities to drop bribery charges against noted journalist Ahmad Ibrohim, who was arrested a week earlier, RFE/RL reported. “Following the wave of lengthy convictions against journalists in Tajikistan since 2022, the arrest of Ahmad Ibrohim is yet another reminder of how dangerous any form of critical
