DUSHANBE, 06.06.2023 (NIAT Khovar) – On June 5, Dushanbe hosted a seminar on the topic “Successful implementation of the National Development Strategy of Tajikistan for the period up to 2030,” dedicated to the 30th anniversary of cooperation between Tajikistan and the World Bank.

The seminar was attended by the heads of ministries and departments, development partners and public organizations.

The event was opened by Antonella Bassani, World Bank Vice President for Europe and Central and Nematullo Hikmatullozoda, Assistant to the President of Tajikistan for Economic Affairs.

It was noted the ongoing and mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and the World Bank, as well as emphasized the significant contribution of this organization to the sustainable development of the country.

The Minister of Economic Development and Trade Zavki Zavkizoda made a speech about the National Development Strategy of Tajikistan for the period up to 2030: achievements and further priorities.

He noted that a number of significant reforms were carried out in 2016-2022 in Tajikistan in order to strengthen the dialogue between the state and the private sector at the national and regional levels, bring the investment and business environment to the requirements of international norms, the republic’s accession to the WTO, providing access to financial instruments, business development infrastructure, reforming the licensing system, the taxation system and checking the activities of business entities, creating an organizational and legal framework for partnership between the state and the private sector, modernizing public services for entrepreneurs and investors.

It was informed that as a result of the measures taken by the government in 2016-2022, together with development partners, macroeconomic stability was ensured in the country, the average annual GDP growth was more than 7%, and the volume of GDP increased by 1.6 times. During this period, the monetary incomes of the population increased by 1.9 times and the number of entrepreneurs increased by 1.6 times, while the poverty rate decreased from 31.3% to 26.3%. The share of exports in foreign trade turnover increased from 20% to 31%, while the share of imports decreased from 80% to 69%.

Zavkizoda added that the volume of industrial production increased by 1.9 times, agricultural production — by 1.4 times, which made it possible to provide the domestic market with domestically produced products. During this period, two new blocks of the Rogun HPP were put into operation, more than 2,000 MW of new capacities were put into operation.

According to him, the effective reforms of the government were recognized by the international community and created a favorable basis for improving the position of Tajikistan in a number of international assessments. In particular, during this period, according to the World Bank, Tajikistan was among the 10 leading countries in the world in terms of poverty reduction, four times in the list of 10 leading countries-reformers according to the «Entrepreneurship» of the World Bank, 10 leading countries according to the World Bank trilemma in terms of energy security, ranks 6th in the world in the use of «green» energy (99.6% of electricity) according to the World Bank, ranks 2nd in the international assessment of access to electricity, ranks 50th in the World Economic Forum in terms of the quality of road infrastructure and 37th place in terms of the efficiency of the railway service among 141 countries of the world.

Representatives of development partners appreciated the economic and social reforms carried out by the government to achieve strategic goals and priorities, and expressed their readiness to carry out further reforms and increase their assistance and support to ensure sustainable economic, social and environmental development.