EU-funded infrastructure project fosters community spirit and resilience in Khorog, Tajikistan, during COVID-19
Identified, prioritised and selected by the local community, key infrastructure projects – such as water systems and schools – have been under construction in Khorog, the largest town in Eastern Tajikistan, since October of last year thanks to an EU-funded grant.
AKF, in partnership with the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat (AKAH), the Mountain Societies Development Support Programme (MSDPSP) and the Government of Tajikistan, has been working alongside communities in a series of building projects designed to help stimulate the local economy and create jobs in the face of an economic downturn and the global pandemic.
Eastern Tajikistan, with its mountainous landscape and vulnerability to natural hazards, is home to some of the most marginalised communities in Central Asia. The need for critical infrastructure as well opportunities to improve socio-economic conditions are essential and in high demand. Determining what this infrastructure would be has been a matter of continual consultation between communities and the implementing partners involved. Local people having a say in the development of these facilities is essential to ensure that the work meets local needs and is sustainable.
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Institutional Activities in Tajikistan
Young People Gain Access to Financial Services in Tajikistan
Anora, age 20, lives in a small village in the Khatlon region of Tajikistan. In early 2019, she gathered with other participants of the village’s mahalla committee, a form of village-level governance, to establish a community-based savings group (CBSG).
Like many young women in the region, Anora lacks access to savings and credit, leaving her vulnerable to financial shocks like medical emergencies or natural disasters. The savings group addressed this gap by improving Anora’s and other members’ access to locally managed financial services.
Members of a community-based savings group in Tajikistan gather to increase their financial access and power.
In 2018, USAID and the Aga Khan Foundation launched Thrive Tajikistan, a five-year program to improve quality of life for people living along the Tajik-Afghan border. One of the program’s components establishes CBSGs that train women and men on basic financial literacy and cash management skills. CBSGs also provide an important social platform for discussing local issues. Across Tajikistan, AKF has helped to start 2,600 CBSGs over the past two decades, greatly improving young people’s ability to start their own enterprises. In Khatlon alone, AKF has helped communities create CBSGs that serve over 3,000 members, 80% of whom are women.
In 2019, Anora’s group paid out loans to members totaling $982 USD. This is a powerful resource in a place where only about one in three low-income households has a bank account.
More..
https://www.akfusa.org/our-stories/youn ... ajikistan/
Anora, age 20, lives in a small village in the Khatlon region of Tajikistan. In early 2019, she gathered with other participants of the village’s mahalla committee, a form of village-level governance, to establish a community-based savings group (CBSG).
Like many young women in the region, Anora lacks access to savings and credit, leaving her vulnerable to financial shocks like medical emergencies or natural disasters. The savings group addressed this gap by improving Anora’s and other members’ access to locally managed financial services.
Members of a community-based savings group in Tajikistan gather to increase their financial access and power.
In 2018, USAID and the Aga Khan Foundation launched Thrive Tajikistan, a five-year program to improve quality of life for people living along the Tajik-Afghan border. One of the program’s components establishes CBSGs that train women and men on basic financial literacy and cash management skills. CBSGs also provide an important social platform for discussing local issues. Across Tajikistan, AKF has helped to start 2,600 CBSGs over the past two decades, greatly improving young people’s ability to start their own enterprises. In Khatlon alone, AKF has helped communities create CBSGs that serve over 3,000 members, 80% of whom are women.
In 2019, Anora’s group paid out loans to members totaling $982 USD. This is a powerful resource in a place where only about one in three low-income households has a bank account.
More..
https://www.akfusa.org/our-stories/youn ... ajikistan/
Pamir Energy and the future of clean electricity in Central Asia
Daler Jumaev, General Director of Tajikistan’s Pamir Energy (part of the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development), spoke at the World Hydropower Congress 2019 in Paris about bringing clean and affordable energy to Tajikistan and neighbouring Afghanistan.
It was 6:57pm on 9 September 2018. We turned on electricity for the township of Murghab. Within two minutes, a wave of celebration came from the streets as light bulbs flickered on for the first time. We watched and listened across the river, where the hydropower plant is located. It was magical. It was one of those moments when I felt like I could die in peace now.
For those of you who have not heard of Murghab, this is a district in the Far East of Tajikistan bordering China and the Kyrgyz Republic. It makes up 27% of Tajikistan’s surface area but only 0.2% of the population. It is mountainous, dry, and over 3,600 meters above sea level. It looks like the moon. People here subsist on cow and yak farming, and relied on dried dung to heat their homes in winter. There was no electricity to cook, to see at night, or study. And there’s no Netflix. It’s a tough place to live.
I am starting with this story because, in everything that we do, no matter how complicated or technical, it is critical to always remember why we are doing this and what matters most: the people we serve.
There are two main things our experience has taught us. First, small-scale hydropower operations are not to be underestimated, especially for rural and remote communities. Second, the private sector can play an integral role in all of this. We can be a facilitator, or the glue, for strong collaboration amongst development partners and the government. Through these partnerships, we can also address all aspects of energy systems – from generation to transmission to distribution – and ensure efficient, sustainable systems for everyone.
In 2002, Pamir Energy was formed with financial support from the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development – our primary shareholder – as well as the World Bank, IFC, and SECO under a Concession Agreement with the Government of Tajikistan. We took over the management and operation of all energy assets in Badakhshoni Kuhi, which is the wider region where Murghab is located. As such, we are the first Public Private Partnership (PPP) in Central Asia.
The part of Eastern Tajikistan where we work in is harsh — socially, politically, economically, and also environmentally. Badakhshoni Kuhi borders China, the Kyrgyz Republic, and Afghanistan. We operate in high mountains with earthquakes, avalanches, mudslides, and bitterly cold winters. In this complex environment, we also could not have been successful without the continuing support and guidance of the Government of Tajikistan and the regional government in Badakhshoni Kuhi.
To set the stage: Badakhshoni Kuhi is the less developed region in Tajikistan, with 40% living below the poverty line. In Soviet times, over 70% of our energy was provided by diesel generators run entirely on imported fuel from Russia. After the fall of the Soviet Union, not a single diesel power plant was operating. In 2002, when Pamir Energy took over operations, only 13% of households were receiving electricity – and even then for just 12 hours a day, with frequent interruptions
Today, 17 years later, the situation has shifted dramatically.
Pamir Energy supplies reliable, clean, affordable electricity 24/7 to 96% of the population of Badakhshoni Kuhi in Eastern Tajikistan. We have reduced transmission losses from 39% in 2006 to 10% in 2018. We have implemented over 30 projects; fully rehabilitated most of the 11 hydropower plants, totalling a little more than 44 MW in generation capacity; and we have a 12th Hydro Power Plant (HPP) with generation capacity of 11MW on the way. Through efficiencies and smart technologies, we are able to operate the entire utility at an average weighted tariff of 3.25 US cents per kWh for the end users – which happens to be the lowest private tariff in the world.
All this refutes a number of stereotypes about small-scale hydropower. These are not just Band-Aids. Large-scale operations are not the only ones that will lead to sustainability. Our success proves that small-scale HPPs can provide reliable, clean, and affordable electricity over the long-term. Indeed, I would argue that small-scale is the best solution for our region, given the topography, the distribution of resources, and the remoteness.
Photos and more...
https://www.akdn.org/our-stories/pamir- ... ntral-asia
Daler Jumaev, General Director of Tajikistan’s Pamir Energy (part of the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development), spoke at the World Hydropower Congress 2019 in Paris about bringing clean and affordable energy to Tajikistan and neighbouring Afghanistan.
It was 6:57pm on 9 September 2018. We turned on electricity for the township of Murghab. Within two minutes, a wave of celebration came from the streets as light bulbs flickered on for the first time. We watched and listened across the river, where the hydropower plant is located. It was magical. It was one of those moments when I felt like I could die in peace now.
For those of you who have not heard of Murghab, this is a district in the Far East of Tajikistan bordering China and the Kyrgyz Republic. It makes up 27% of Tajikistan’s surface area but only 0.2% of the population. It is mountainous, dry, and over 3,600 meters above sea level. It looks like the moon. People here subsist on cow and yak farming, and relied on dried dung to heat their homes in winter. There was no electricity to cook, to see at night, or study. And there’s no Netflix. It’s a tough place to live.
I am starting with this story because, in everything that we do, no matter how complicated or technical, it is critical to always remember why we are doing this and what matters most: the people we serve.
There are two main things our experience has taught us. First, small-scale hydropower operations are not to be underestimated, especially for rural and remote communities. Second, the private sector can play an integral role in all of this. We can be a facilitator, or the glue, for strong collaboration amongst development partners and the government. Through these partnerships, we can also address all aspects of energy systems – from generation to transmission to distribution – and ensure efficient, sustainable systems for everyone.
In 2002, Pamir Energy was formed with financial support from the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development – our primary shareholder – as well as the World Bank, IFC, and SECO under a Concession Agreement with the Government of Tajikistan. We took over the management and operation of all energy assets in Badakhshoni Kuhi, which is the wider region where Murghab is located. As such, we are the first Public Private Partnership (PPP) in Central Asia.
The part of Eastern Tajikistan where we work in is harsh — socially, politically, economically, and also environmentally. Badakhshoni Kuhi borders China, the Kyrgyz Republic, and Afghanistan. We operate in high mountains with earthquakes, avalanches, mudslides, and bitterly cold winters. In this complex environment, we also could not have been successful without the continuing support and guidance of the Government of Tajikistan and the regional government in Badakhshoni Kuhi.
To set the stage: Badakhshoni Kuhi is the less developed region in Tajikistan, with 40% living below the poverty line. In Soviet times, over 70% of our energy was provided by diesel generators run entirely on imported fuel from Russia. After the fall of the Soviet Union, not a single diesel power plant was operating. In 2002, when Pamir Energy took over operations, only 13% of households were receiving electricity – and even then for just 12 hours a day, with frequent interruptions
Today, 17 years later, the situation has shifted dramatically.
Pamir Energy supplies reliable, clean, affordable electricity 24/7 to 96% of the population of Badakhshoni Kuhi in Eastern Tajikistan. We have reduced transmission losses from 39% in 2006 to 10% in 2018. We have implemented over 30 projects; fully rehabilitated most of the 11 hydropower plants, totalling a little more than 44 MW in generation capacity; and we have a 12th Hydro Power Plant (HPP) with generation capacity of 11MW on the way. Through efficiencies and smart technologies, we are able to operate the entire utility at an average weighted tariff of 3.25 US cents per kWh for the end users – which happens to be the lowest private tariff in the world.
All this refutes a number of stereotypes about small-scale hydropower. These are not just Band-Aids. Large-scale operations are not the only ones that will lead to sustainability. Our success proves that small-scale HPPs can provide reliable, clean, and affordable electricity over the long-term. Indeed, I would argue that small-scale is the best solution for our region, given the topography, the distribution of resources, and the remoteness.
Photos and more...
https://www.akdn.org/our-stories/pamir- ... ntral-asia
AKF launches COVID-19 project to address food security in Tajikistan
An emergency project aimed at reducing Tajikistan’s vulnerability to COVID-19-related food insecurity will benefit an estimated 11,985 people directly, including 5,865 women and girls, and about 80,395 indirectly.
The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF), with the support of the Government of Switzerland, has successfully launched the project in 12 districts of Khatlon region, Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast, Sughd region and Rasht Valley of Tajikistan.
The project aims to address limited access to agricultural products, low water and land productivity, lack of high quality seeds and fertilisers – all of which can exacerbate food insecurity, malnutrition and vulnerability to the virus. The project focuses on increasing agriculture production and improving agriculture output through the provision of critical irrigation infrastructure and improved access to quality agricultural inputs such as seeds and fertilisers. Improved irrigation systems and water access will not only increase agriculture production but also create new arable land leading to enhanced agriculture productivity and efficient use of natural resources.
Photos, map and more...
https://www.akf.org.uk/akf-launches-cov ... 25c8c5fc8d
An emergency project aimed at reducing Tajikistan’s vulnerability to COVID-19-related food insecurity will benefit an estimated 11,985 people directly, including 5,865 women and girls, and about 80,395 indirectly.
The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF), with the support of the Government of Switzerland, has successfully launched the project in 12 districts of Khatlon region, Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast, Sughd region and Rasht Valley of Tajikistan.
The project aims to address limited access to agricultural products, low water and land productivity, lack of high quality seeds and fertilisers – all of which can exacerbate food insecurity, malnutrition and vulnerability to the virus. The project focuses on increasing agriculture production and improving agriculture output through the provision of critical irrigation infrastructure and improved access to quality agricultural inputs such as seeds and fertilisers. Improved irrigation systems and water access will not only increase agriculture production but also create new arable land leading to enhanced agriculture productivity and efficient use of natural resources.
Photos, map and more...
https://www.akf.org.uk/akf-launches-cov ... 25c8c5fc8d
PamirEnergy: Transforming lives through hydropower
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and a five-year civil war, Tajikistan’s electrical infrastructure was in need of significant investment. Among the most affected areas was the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO), where economic and human development was stifled during the cold winter months as a result of a lack of electricity for heating and the consequent closure of schools, health centres and businesses.
Many of the region’s 220,000 residents resorted to wood fuel for their heating and cooking needs during the winter, resulting in the decimation of 70 percent of the region’s forests within a decade and a sharp increase in respiratory disorders due to smoke inhalation.
To address the situation, in 2002, the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED), in partnership with the Government of Tajikistan and the International Finance Corporation, formed PamirEnergy. Since then, the company has repaired the electrical infrastructure of GBAO, expanded hydroelectric capacity and transmitted surplus energy from Tajikistan to Afghanistan.
As a result of PamirEnergy’s efforts, electricity coverage has expanded from 13 percent of households receiving 12 hours of electricity per day in 2002 to 96 percent of households receiving 24/7 electricity in 2016.
Gallery at:
https://www.akdn.org/gallery/pamirenerg ... hydropower
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and a five-year civil war, Tajikistan’s electrical infrastructure was in need of significant investment. Among the most affected areas was the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO), where economic and human development was stifled during the cold winter months as a result of a lack of electricity for heating and the consequent closure of schools, health centres and businesses.
Many of the region’s 220,000 residents resorted to wood fuel for their heating and cooking needs during the winter, resulting in the decimation of 70 percent of the region’s forests within a decade and a sharp increase in respiratory disorders due to smoke inhalation.
To address the situation, in 2002, the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED), in partnership with the Government of Tajikistan and the International Finance Corporation, formed PamirEnergy. Since then, the company has repaired the electrical infrastructure of GBAO, expanded hydroelectric capacity and transmitted surplus energy from Tajikistan to Afghanistan.
As a result of PamirEnergy’s efforts, electricity coverage has expanded from 13 percent of households receiving 12 hours of electricity per day in 2002 to 96 percent of households receiving 24/7 electricity in 2016.
Gallery at:
https://www.akdn.org/gallery/pamirenerg ... hydropower
A bumper harvest in the Zarafshon valley – Tabassum's story
Pokhut is a small village located in Tajikistan’s Zarafshon valley. Many residents are farmers who grow potatoes, fodder and breed cattle for income and subsistence. A lack of arable land has left them with few options to diversify their incomes and develop their farms. Many do not have access to better seeds or fertilisers to get the best from the particular topographical conditions of the region. It is major barrier to breaking the cycle of poverty.
Tabassum Ashurova is a resident of Pokhut village, with two young children. Her husband works as a labourer in Russia. “In rural areas, our options for income are limited,” Tabassum explained. With guidance from the programme team and the support of her husband, she decided to use her small plot of land to create a fruit nursery. The aim was not only to provide a source of food, but also to sell the produce and high-quality saplings to other villagers looking to start their own nurseries.
AKF is supporting farmers across Tajikistan to plant fruit nurseries, which helps diversify their incomes
Apricot trees have been grown in the valley for many years, but the quality of the fruit and the consistency of the harvest varies from year to year. Tabassum described the situation:
“Some years the trees do not bear fruit due to the cold spring, and the fruit trees in our village are generally too old and are of poor quality. When there is no harvest, our family suffers from a lack of income and we are in debt… I have an old apricot orchard nearby which did not harvest for almost ten years.”
As part of a wider programme designed to improve food security and livelihoods through better agricultural practices, the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) in Tajikistan is implementing the ‘Improving livelihoods and food security through sustainable natural resource management’ programme in close coordination with local authorities and with the financial support of the European Union. The programme operates based on the differing needs and socio-economic conditions of rural communities in the area – in this case Pokhut village has been targeted for developing fruit tree nurseries.
Saplings of hardy varieties are grafted from rootstocks using best agricultural practices
In 2017, programme staff met with Pokhut villagers and helped them form several producer groups that would address the quality of the fruit trees and establish an intensive orchard and nursery. Tabassum joined one of these producer groups – members and their families became shared owners of an orchard with 2,500 apple and 1,100 black plum seedlings. It is through this orchard that Tabassum was able to establish her own nursery on her plot of land and has been able to sell her seedlings to other farmers in the area.
“I am delighted when other farmers see our orchard and decide to buy similar varieties from my nursery”
The new orchard is less prone to spoilage thanks to the programme’s application of “agro-technical rules”, allowing for far greater yields – between 50-60,000kg each year, more than double the usual yield of 20-25,000kg every other year. Through the programme, the producer groups learned many techniques for improving yields, such as removing buds and flowers to help the tree save energy, and how to make compost from raw fertiliser, which results in fewer weeds that would drain vital nutrients from the trees.
With support from the project staff, some of the producer groups also met with scientists from Tajikistan’s Institute of Horticulture and Vegetable Growing who taught the members how to propagate the fruit trees by grafting or using rootstocks (part of the root from which another tree can be grown). The results speak for themselves, and Tabassum is pleased with the progress she has made:
“Now in my nursery I have 300 apple seedlings (3 varieties) 100 apricot samplings (4 varieties), and 2 varieties of black plum seedlings which are ready for sale…I am delighted when other farmers see our orchard and decide to buy similar varieties from my nursery.”
Tabassum is hopeful about her family’s prospects for the future. It is now a real possibility that her husband will not need to go to Russia for work. Between them, with the support and knowledge they have gained from the programme, they can expand the nursery and run the business more efficiently. This year, Tabassum has more than 400 saplings which she will prepare for the following year’s harvest and sell on. Her additional income, and that of the other families in the producer groups, has not only resulted in an immediate increase in her standard of living, but the knowledge and skills learned will last well beyond the life of the programme, even informing generations to come.
https://www.akf.org.uk/a-bumper-harvest ... 25c8c5fc8d
Photos at:
https://www.akf.org.uk/a-bumper-harvest ... 25c8c5fc8d
Pokhut is a small village located in Tajikistan’s Zarafshon valley. Many residents are farmers who grow potatoes, fodder and breed cattle for income and subsistence. A lack of arable land has left them with few options to diversify their incomes and develop their farms. Many do not have access to better seeds or fertilisers to get the best from the particular topographical conditions of the region. It is major barrier to breaking the cycle of poverty.
Tabassum Ashurova is a resident of Pokhut village, with two young children. Her husband works as a labourer in Russia. “In rural areas, our options for income are limited,” Tabassum explained. With guidance from the programme team and the support of her husband, she decided to use her small plot of land to create a fruit nursery. The aim was not only to provide a source of food, but also to sell the produce and high-quality saplings to other villagers looking to start their own nurseries.
AKF is supporting farmers across Tajikistan to plant fruit nurseries, which helps diversify their incomes
Apricot trees have been grown in the valley for many years, but the quality of the fruit and the consistency of the harvest varies from year to year. Tabassum described the situation:
“Some years the trees do not bear fruit due to the cold spring, and the fruit trees in our village are generally too old and are of poor quality. When there is no harvest, our family suffers from a lack of income and we are in debt… I have an old apricot orchard nearby which did not harvest for almost ten years.”
As part of a wider programme designed to improve food security and livelihoods through better agricultural practices, the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) in Tajikistan is implementing the ‘Improving livelihoods and food security through sustainable natural resource management’ programme in close coordination with local authorities and with the financial support of the European Union. The programme operates based on the differing needs and socio-economic conditions of rural communities in the area – in this case Pokhut village has been targeted for developing fruit tree nurseries.
Saplings of hardy varieties are grafted from rootstocks using best agricultural practices
In 2017, programme staff met with Pokhut villagers and helped them form several producer groups that would address the quality of the fruit trees and establish an intensive orchard and nursery. Tabassum joined one of these producer groups – members and their families became shared owners of an orchard with 2,500 apple and 1,100 black plum seedlings. It is through this orchard that Tabassum was able to establish her own nursery on her plot of land and has been able to sell her seedlings to other farmers in the area.
“I am delighted when other farmers see our orchard and decide to buy similar varieties from my nursery”
The new orchard is less prone to spoilage thanks to the programme’s application of “agro-technical rules”, allowing for far greater yields – between 50-60,000kg each year, more than double the usual yield of 20-25,000kg every other year. Through the programme, the producer groups learned many techniques for improving yields, such as removing buds and flowers to help the tree save energy, and how to make compost from raw fertiliser, which results in fewer weeds that would drain vital nutrients from the trees.
With support from the project staff, some of the producer groups also met with scientists from Tajikistan’s Institute of Horticulture and Vegetable Growing who taught the members how to propagate the fruit trees by grafting or using rootstocks (part of the root from which another tree can be grown). The results speak for themselves, and Tabassum is pleased with the progress she has made:
“Now in my nursery I have 300 apple seedlings (3 varieties) 100 apricot samplings (4 varieties), and 2 varieties of black plum seedlings which are ready for sale…I am delighted when other farmers see our orchard and decide to buy similar varieties from my nursery.”
Tabassum is hopeful about her family’s prospects for the future. It is now a real possibility that her husband will not need to go to Russia for work. Between them, with the support and knowledge they have gained from the programme, they can expand the nursery and run the business more efficiently. This year, Tabassum has more than 400 saplings which she will prepare for the following year’s harvest and sell on. Her additional income, and that of the other families in the producer groups, has not only resulted in an immediate increase in her standard of living, but the knowledge and skills learned will last well beyond the life of the programme, even informing generations to come.
https://www.akf.org.uk/a-bumper-harvest ... 25c8c5fc8d
Photos at:
https://www.akf.org.uk/a-bumper-harvest ... 25c8c5fc8d
Construction of one more Tajik-Afghan bridge across Panj River discussed in Dushanbe
Tajik minister reminds that the Aga Khan Foundation will build this bridge with attraction of investment from partners; photo / Transport Ministry.
Tajik Minister of Transport Azim Ibrohim on May 5 held a meeting to discuss issues related to the beginning of construction of a bridge across the Panj River that will connect the Kokul area in Khatlon’s Farkhor district and Ai-Khanoum village in Takhar province, northern Afghanistan, according to the press center of the Ministry of Transport of Tajikistan.
Minister of Economy of Afghanistan Karima Hamed Faryabi, representatives of the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF), development partners of Tajikistan and senior representatives of Tajikistan’s Khatlon Province and Afghan Takhar Province reportedly participated in the meeting through video conferencing.
Speaking at the meeting Azim Ibrohim reminded that the Aga Khan Foundation will build this bridge with attraction of investment from partners.
An agreement between the Ministry of Transport of Tajikistan and the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) Tajikistan provides for construction of the 180-meter bridge. The project also provides construction of a 50 kilometer road from Vase district to Farkhor district.
The European Union will finance the project through Germany’s KFW Development Bank and the Pakistan Afghanistan Tajikistan Regional Integration Program (PATRIP) Foundation, which was set up in November 2011 by the German state-owned KfW Development Bank on behalf of the German Federal Foreign Office.
To-date, six bridges across the Panj River connecting Tajikistan and Afghanistan have been built under support of the AKDN and one more Tajik-Afghan bridge has been built under financial support of the United States. The bridges have improved commerce and traffic within Central Asia.
https://asiaplustj.info/en/node/297399
Tajik minister reminds that the Aga Khan Foundation will build this bridge with attraction of investment from partners; photo / Transport Ministry.
Tajik Minister of Transport Azim Ibrohim on May 5 held a meeting to discuss issues related to the beginning of construction of a bridge across the Panj River that will connect the Kokul area in Khatlon’s Farkhor district and Ai-Khanoum village in Takhar province, northern Afghanistan, according to the press center of the Ministry of Transport of Tajikistan.
Minister of Economy of Afghanistan Karima Hamed Faryabi, representatives of the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF), development partners of Tajikistan and senior representatives of Tajikistan’s Khatlon Province and Afghan Takhar Province reportedly participated in the meeting through video conferencing.
Speaking at the meeting Azim Ibrohim reminded that the Aga Khan Foundation will build this bridge with attraction of investment from partners.
An agreement between the Ministry of Transport of Tajikistan and the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) Tajikistan provides for construction of the 180-meter bridge. The project also provides construction of a 50 kilometer road from Vase district to Farkhor district.
The European Union will finance the project through Germany’s KFW Development Bank and the Pakistan Afghanistan Tajikistan Regional Integration Program (PATRIP) Foundation, which was set up in November 2011 by the German state-owned KfW Development Bank on behalf of the German Federal Foreign Office.
To-date, six bridges across the Panj River connecting Tajikistan and Afghanistan have been built under support of the AKDN and one more Tajik-Afghan bridge has been built under financial support of the United States. The bridges have improved commerce and traffic within Central Asia.
https://asiaplustj.info/en/node/297399
AKF facilitates promotion of economic development and regional integration in Afghanistan and Tajikistan
SCORED project catalyzes regional economic development and integration in the border regions of Afghanistan and Tajikistan; photo / AKDN Tajikistan.
This week witnessed a significant step forward in cross-border cooperation between Tajikistan and Afghanistan. The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) Tajikistan under the Supporting Cooperation and Opportunities for Regional Economic Development (SCORED) project has organized a Project Steering Committee in order to bring the high-level Tajik and Afghan Government representatives and the representatives of European Union in Tajikistan and Afghanistan together to enhance the cross border regional cooperation, says press release issued by the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) Office in Tajikistan.
The commission was reportedly conducted with the participation of the Minister of Transport of Tajikistan – Mr. Azim Ibrohim, Chief Inspector of Customs Service under the Government of Tajikistan – Mr. Timur Arabov, Head of the European Union Delegation to Tajikistan – Ambassador Marilyn Josefson, Resident Representative of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) in Tajikistan – Mr. Qozidavlat Qoimdodov, Chief Executive Officer of AKF Tajikistan – Mr. Kishwar Abdulalishoev, representatives of the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) and Khatlon Province and other distinguished government representatives from Tajik side and Minister of Economy of Afghanistan – Dr. Karima Hamed Faryabi, Takhar Province Governor – Mr. Al Haj Malawi Abdullah Qarluq, Ambassador of the European Union Delegation to Afghanistan – Mr. Von Brandt, representative of EU Delegation to Afghanistan – Mr. Khudodod Mahmoud, Resident Representative of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) in Afghanistan – Hirji Sheherazade, Chief Executive Officer of AKF Afghanistan – Dr. Najmuddin Najm and other esteemed government representatives from Afghan side.
In order to achieve the overall objective of promoting economic development and regional integration in Afghanistan and Tajikistan, AKF believes it is essential to work alongside the government structures at all levels to promote sustainable regional cooperation. AKF is organizing the Project Steering Committee each year in support of creating a platform for the Government and the donor for discussing regional cooperation and cross-border economic integration. Development of key infrastructure, particularly the cross-border bridge and road require discussions around security issues, smooth process of cross-border bridge and road construction and future development of cross-border economic intervention between Tajikistan and Afghanistan. In addition, Project Steering Committee facilitates interactions on the district level (between GBAO and Khatlon Province Tajikistan and Badakhshan, Takhar and Kunduz provinces Afghanistan) to identify potential opportunities for collaboration and to enhance regional economic intervention between two neighboring countries.
This SCORED project is financed in partnership with the European Union (EU) with the overall objective to catalyze regional economic development and integration in the border regions of Afghanistan and Tajikistan and specific objective being to facilitate an enabling environment for local business development, trade and production in the target areas. Access to financial and business services is to be improved in Tajikistan through both economic and infrastructure development, including the construction of cross-border rural infrastructure – cross border Bridge, road and Market.
The overall budget of the SCORED project is over €20 million (approximately 218,784,710.55 million somonis) and includes local business development support and the improvement of economic infrastructure. The cross-border bridge and road construction is financed by the European Commission through Pakistan Afghanistan Tajikistan Regional Integration Program (PATRIP) Foundation.
Established in 1967, the Aga Khan Foundation seeks to improve the quality of life, enhance self-reliance and promote pluralism in poor and marginalized communities of Africa and Asia. It is one of the world’s leading international development organizations.
AKF’s long-term, community-based approach addresses and benefits people of all faiths and backgrounds, especially women and girls. The Foundation supports people to become self-reliant and equal partners in their own development. Its activities enhance agriculture and food security, promote early childhood development and access to quality education, improve health and nutrition, advance economic inclusion, and strengthen civil society.
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SCORED project catalyzes regional economic development and integration in the border regions of Afghanistan and Tajikistan; photo / AKDN Tajikistan.
This week witnessed a significant step forward in cross-border cooperation between Tajikistan and Afghanistan. The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) Tajikistan under the Supporting Cooperation and Opportunities for Regional Economic Development (SCORED) project has organized a Project Steering Committee in order to bring the high-level Tajik and Afghan Government representatives and the representatives of European Union in Tajikistan and Afghanistan together to enhance the cross border regional cooperation, says press release issued by the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) Office in Tajikistan.
The commission was reportedly conducted with the participation of the Minister of Transport of Tajikistan – Mr. Azim Ibrohim, Chief Inspector of Customs Service under the Government of Tajikistan – Mr. Timur Arabov, Head of the European Union Delegation to Tajikistan – Ambassador Marilyn Josefson, Resident Representative of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) in Tajikistan – Mr. Qozidavlat Qoimdodov, Chief Executive Officer of AKF Tajikistan – Mr. Kishwar Abdulalishoev, representatives of the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) and Khatlon Province and other distinguished government representatives from Tajik side and Minister of Economy of Afghanistan – Dr. Karima Hamed Faryabi, Takhar Province Governor – Mr. Al Haj Malawi Abdullah Qarluq, Ambassador of the European Union Delegation to Afghanistan – Mr. Von Brandt, representative of EU Delegation to Afghanistan – Mr. Khudodod Mahmoud, Resident Representative of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) in Afghanistan – Hirji Sheherazade, Chief Executive Officer of AKF Afghanistan – Dr. Najmuddin Najm and other esteemed government representatives from Afghan side.
In order to achieve the overall objective of promoting economic development and regional integration in Afghanistan and Tajikistan, AKF believes it is essential to work alongside the government structures at all levels to promote sustainable regional cooperation. AKF is organizing the Project Steering Committee each year in support of creating a platform for the Government and the donor for discussing regional cooperation and cross-border economic integration. Development of key infrastructure, particularly the cross-border bridge and road require discussions around security issues, smooth process of cross-border bridge and road construction and future development of cross-border economic intervention between Tajikistan and Afghanistan. In addition, Project Steering Committee facilitates interactions on the district level (between GBAO and Khatlon Province Tajikistan and Badakhshan, Takhar and Kunduz provinces Afghanistan) to identify potential opportunities for collaboration and to enhance regional economic intervention between two neighboring countries.
This SCORED project is financed in partnership with the European Union (EU) with the overall objective to catalyze regional economic development and integration in the border regions of Afghanistan and Tajikistan and specific objective being to facilitate an enabling environment for local business development, trade and production in the target areas. Access to financial and business services is to be improved in Tajikistan through both economic and infrastructure development, including the construction of cross-border rural infrastructure – cross border Bridge, road and Market.
The overall budget of the SCORED project is over €20 million (approximately 218,784,710.55 million somonis) and includes local business development support and the improvement of economic infrastructure. The cross-border bridge and road construction is financed by the European Commission through Pakistan Afghanistan Tajikistan Regional Integration Program (PATRIP) Foundation.
Established in 1967, the Aga Khan Foundation seeks to improve the quality of life, enhance self-reliance and promote pluralism in poor and marginalized communities of Africa and Asia. It is one of the world’s leading international development organizations.
AKF’s long-term, community-based approach addresses and benefits people of all faiths and backgrounds, especially women and girls. The Foundation supports people to become self-reliant and equal partners in their own development. Its activities enhance agriculture and food security, promote early childhood development and access to quality education, improve health and nutrition, advance economic inclusion, and strengthen civil society.
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