World Bank promotes private sector development in Tajikistan

DUSHANBE (TCA) — On May 10, the Deputy Chairperson of the Tajik State Committee on Investments and State Property Management, Nigina Anvari, and World Bank Country Manager in Tajikistan Patricia Veevers-Carter launched a training program on private sector development that targets mid-level government officials in Tajikistan.

The training is part of the World Bank Group financed Central Asia Youth Empowerment and Jobs Project, which aims to improve the business climate and foster youth entrepreneurship in Tajikistan through capacity building of state entities and skills training for youth, the World Bank said.

“Private sector development is at the center of the World Bank Group’s overall program in Tajikistan. The private sector is an important creator of jobs inside the country, thereby contributing to a more inclusive economic growth. This should lessen the country’s exposure to external shocks, such as the current one created by the economic downturn in Russia,” said Patricia Veevers-Carter. “The training program we are launching today will support mid-level government officials to implement more effective policies that target private sector development with a specific focus on youth, given that more than 50% of the population is under the age of 25.”

The Central Asia Youth Empowerment and Jobs Project financed by the World Bank Group, is supporting the Government of Tajikistan to improve its policies related to youth entrepreneurship in order to promote job creation and private sector development for the largest and fastest growing population segment in Tajikistan, its young people.

“As a result of reforms, the share of the private sector in GDP represents 67 percent; almost 80 percent of tax revenues come from the private sector and 65 percent of the economically active population is employed by the private sector,” said Nigina Anvari. “Private sector development is a priority sector for the Government of Tajikistan. We are confident that the training program we are launching today will further contribute to better procedures and implementation of reforms on the ground.”

The program will cover a new group of civil servants every 6 months and by the end of the project, in 18 months, over 100 representatives of selected ministries and public agencies will have been trained. The training is implemented by a local company Imkon Consulting in collaboration with the World Bank Group team as well as regional and international experts.

Sergey Kwan

TCA

Sergey Kwan has worked for The Times of Central Asia as a journalist, translator and editor since its foundation in March 1999. Prior to this, from 1996-1997, he worked as a translator at The Kyrgyzstan Chronicle, and from 1997-1999, as a translator at The Central Asian Post.
divider
Kwan studied at the Bishkek Polytechnic Institute from 1990-1994, before completing his training in print journalism in Denmark.

View more articles fromTCA