The World Bank Dushanbe Office said on October 5 that during his visit to Tajikistan, Axel van Trotsenburg, World Bank Managing Director of Operations, has met with President Emomali Rahmon and reiterated support for the country’s efforts to achieve resilient and inclusive economic growth given the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
Despite these economic shocks, the economy of Tajikistan reportedly performed better than forecast, with growth reaching over 7.0 percent in the first half of 2022.
Mr. van Trotsenburg stressed the importance of building resilience of the economy to future shocks and achieving an inclusive growth path by promoting reforms aimed at transparency, competition and private sector development.
He also encouraged continued investment in the country’s human capital by ensuring access to quality health and education services.
“In Tajikistan, a number of important reforms, supported by the World Bank, are currently underway, including in tax, energy, macro-fiscal management, investment climate, and social safety nets – all areas critical to promoting dynamic and inclusive economic activity,” said Mr. van Trotsenburg. “The World Bank is committed to supporting a comprehensive reform agenda in Tajikistan to help the country meet its longer- term development goals.”
According to the World Bank Dushanbe Office, the World Bank delegation, joined by representatives of the Government of Tajikistan, today visited the Fayzobod district, where they met with beneficiaries of the Agriculture Commercialization Project. This project supports farmers and small and medium enterprises in rural areas, through access to loans, grants and knowledge, to increase opportunities for income generation, and support business and job creation.
On the same day, they also visiedt a primary health care facility, “Dubeda,” supported by the Health Services Improvement Project. The project’s investments aim at improving the coverage and quality of basic primary health care services for the rural population. Both projects are financed by grants from the International Development Association (IDA).
This is Mr. van Trotsenburg’s first visit to Tajikistan as World Bank Managing Director of Operations, a position he assumed on October 1, 2019. Mr. van Trotsenburg oversees the World Bank’s operational programs and ensures that the Bank’s delivery model continues to meet the needs of client countries.
Over the past three years, the Bank has massively scaled-up its support to developing countries reaching over $200 billion. This financial support aims at helping countries respond to the multiple overlapping crises such as conflict, COVID-19, food insecurity, climate and fragility, while pursuing their longer-term development agendas.
Currently, the World Bank is financing 23 projects in Tajikistan totaling US$1.4 billion. Since 1996, the World Bank has provided US$2.5 billion in IDA grants, highly concessional credits, and trust funds for Tajikistan.
Last fiscal year, the World Bank’s financial support to Tajikistan reached a historic record of US$340 million. The World Bank Group is committed to continuing its support for Tajikistan as it strives to improve the lives and meet the aspirations of its young and growing population.
Source: Asia-Plus