Tajikistan Life & Culture - The Times Of Central Asia

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ADB $40 Million Grant to Strengthen STEM Secondary Education in Tajikistan

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on December 8th approved a $40 million grant to help the Government of Tajikistan strengthen science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects in secondary education, including developing climate change awareness and promoting girls’ participation in STEM studies, the ABD announced in a news release on its website. “Enhancing STEM education is vital for preparing students for sectors such as transport, manufacturing, construction, and information and communication technology, which will contribute significantly to poverty reduction and sustainable development in Tajikistan,” said ADB Director General for Central and West Asia Yevgeniy Zhukov. “As Tajikistan is highly vulnerable to climate impacts, it is also essential to integrate climate change knowledge and best practices into general education to strengthen the country’s resilience against climate-induced hazards.” The project will improve STEM teaching and learning methods in Grades 5–11 by adopting a skills-based approach that will help students develop abilities such as critical analysis and collaboration to enable them to solve real-world problems. It will train STEM teachers and modernize learning materials. The project will upgrade the facilities of 20 selected schools in four regions and improve school management. It will also support the inclusion of climate change-related topics into the STEM curricula and learning materials. The project will directly benefit 11,500 students—including 5,600 girls—in targeted schools, as well as about 4,000 STEM teachers and college students training to become STEM teachers, education officials, school management staff, and communities in project areas. “We are the first development partner to help Tajikistan tackle its STEM teachers’ shortage, integrate climate change into secondary education, and shape an enabling environment for girls and women to pursue STEM fields,” said ADB Principal Social Sector Specialist Xin Long. “To expand girls’ participation in STEM studies and help steer more women’s careers towards high-productivity sectors, the project will offer stipends and scholarships to girls studying at the schools and higher education institutions targeted by the project. It will also prioritize women STEM teachers and teacher candidates for information and communication technology courses.”

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Tajikistan: Atlas and Adras Weaving Included in UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage

A nomination from Tajikistan for the art of atlas and adras weaving was included in the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage, the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan reported. This decision was made within the framework of the 18th session of the Interstate Committee on the Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO, which began on December 4th in the city of Kasane (Botswana), where representatives of the countries for the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage are taking part. Meetings will continue until December 9th. Tajikistan has a particularly proud history of national clothing culture, and the secrets of weavers are passed down from generation to generation. In the Sughd region, the Atlas Khujand enterprise operates and enjoys benefits and constant support from President Emomali Rahmon. The company's silks, satin and adras - which combines both silk and cotton - are in great demand globally. Their production, which comprises many stages, requires special skills and training. Traditionally, national costumes for performances and wedding dresses are made of satin. The republic annually celebrates the holiday, “Tajik Atlas and Adras."

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Son of Former Minister Faces 7-day Administrative Arrest Following Dushanbe Restaurant Altercation

A clash at the Bukhoro-Palace Restaurant in Dushanbe led to the detention of four individuals, including Alisher Gulov, the 25-year-old son of former Minister of Energy and Industry Sherali Gul, and Sherdil Sirojev, son of a prominent Tajik businessman linked to the Jal-Jam bazaar's demolition in 2019. The Dushanbe Police Directorate's official website disclosed this incident on December 1, noting the involvement of Alisher Gulov and Sirojev in a major altercation that occurred on the night of November 30. The detained individuals, comprising Alisher Gulov, Rahmon Mahmadbekov (26), Jasour Khojayev (26), and Suhrob Sharipov (27), all residents of Dushanbe, were confirmed to be in a state of inebriation following a medical examination, as per the official statement. In adherence to Article 460 of the Administrative Code, classifying disorderly conduct, authorities filed an administrative offense report against them, subsequently transferring the case to a Dushanbe court located in the Ismoili Somoni district. Each individual received a reported sentence of seven days of administrative arrest. Reports from Radio Liberty's Tajik Service, known locally as Radio Ozodi, shed light on the confrontation between Alisher Gulov, an Interior Ministry officer, and Sherdil Sirojev. This altercation resulted in injuries sustained by two associates of Gulov, along with Sirojev and his friend Mirsaid, who were subsequently admitted to a hospital for treatment.

Tajikistan Life & Culture Tajikistan International Affairs Tajikistan Tajikistan Business Economy Tajikistan Environment

EBRD Commits to Green Investment in Tajikistan

EBRD Pledges New Resources for Green Investment in Tajikistan The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is committing fresh funds to facilitating better access to green technologies and climate adaptation for businesses and households in Tajikistan, a news release on the bank's website states. The US$ 50 million Tajikistan Green Economy Financing Facility II (GEFF Tajikistan II), launched by the EBRD and the Green Climate Fund (GCF), will promote higher standards of energy and resource efficiency and support the country’s transition to a greener economy. GEFF Tajikistan II will encourage residential and commercial borrowers to invest in green and innovative solutions (available through the programme’s website) that promote the efficient use of water and the sustainable management of land. It will pay special attention to the country’s agribusiness sector, which employs almost half of Tajikistan’s workforce and is responsible for more than 22.5 per cent of gross domestic product. Up to US$ 13 million, including US$ 11 million under GEFF Tajikistan II, will be earmarked for three domestic financial institutions: Bank Arvand (US$ 4 million), microlenders Humo (US$ 5 million) and Imon International (US$ 4 million). With a joint base of more than 540,000 clients and operational even in remote mountainous parts of the country, the three institutions are well placed to bring much-needed green finance to even the smallest borrowers across Tajikistan. The new facility builds on the US$ 25 million Green Economy Financing Facility I (GEFF Tajikistan I), which was supported by the European Union and operational from 2019 to 2023. GEFF Tajikistan I supported more than 4,600 sub-projects. Each year, these generated over 24,000 MWh of energy savings, reduced CO2 emissions by 5,195 tonnes and cut water consumption by 5.2 million m3. GEFF Tajikistan II is supported by donor funding from South Korea, Austria and the GCF.

Tajikistan Life & Culture Tajikistan International Affairs Tajikistan Business Economy Tajikistan

Tajikistan to Connect with China’s Telecommunications Network

According to RFE/RL's report on November 17th, Tajikistan unveiled intentions to integrate with China's telecommunications network as part of efforts to enhance internet accessibility in the country, which is ensconced in mountainous terrain and lacks direct access to the sea. This move aligns with the expanding influence of Beijing in Central Asia. Despite recent progress, Tajikistan still grapples with one of the world's slowest internet services, routing all traffic through a government-controlled center. As disclosed by the state news agency Khovar, the initiative coincides with the construction of a highway linking Dushanbe, the nation's capital situated in the western region, to a town bordering China.

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USAID and Aga Khan Foundation Improve Access to Water and Sanitation in Bartang Valley

As outlined in a press release on its website, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) in partnership with the Government of Tajikistan completed and inaugurated a new drinking water supply system and a school latrine in two villages of Rushan’s Bartang valley. The drinking water supply systems will provide uninterrupted access to clean water for 72 households (397 people) in Pasor and Bopasor villages. Additionally, 40 schoolchildren and teachers will have access to sanitary toilets in school #40 of Bopasor village, the U.S. Embassy in Tajikistan said. In the remote mountainous villages of Pasor and Bopasor, lack of access to potable water was a significant problem. Although the villages are blessed with an abundance of water, the absence of infrastructure forced the residents to fetch water from a distance of 500-800 meters at an elevation of 3,000 meters above sea level during harsh winters that last for five months. The USAID and AKF joint partnership, Thrive Tajikistan, works hand-in-hand with the Government of Tajikistan and people of the Bartang Valley to tackle this monumental challenge. To date, Thrive Tajikistan has provided 14 potable water supply systems and 14 school latrines in Farkhor, Hamadoni, Nosiri Khusrav, Panj, Qubodiyon, Roshtqala, Shahritus, and Rushan districts. These systems provide 43,558 people with access to clean drinking water and improved sanitation and hygiene services to 8,344 people. The five-year (2018-2023) “Thrive Tajikistan: Partnership for Socio-Economic Development” program expands the partnership between USAID, AKF and the Government of Tajikistan to improve the quality of life for people in all 16 districts of Tajikistan along the country’s border with Afghanistan in Khatlon province and Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast.