On May 21, a working meeting between the Minister of Transport of the Republic of Tajikistan Azim Ibrohim and the mission of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) was held at the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Tajikistan. The Head of the EBRD Representative Office in Tajikistan Holger Wiefel also took part in the discussions, the press service of the department reports.
The main topic of the meeting was the development of cooperation between the Republic of Tajikistan and the EBRD in the field of road transport infrastructure. The Minister of Transport emphasized that thanks to the wise and far-sighted policy of the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, interaction with international financial institutions, including the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, is constantly expanding. This helps attract investment in key sectors of the country's economy and implement important infrastructure projects.
During the meeting, the parties discussed the current implementation of the EBRD Cooperation Strategy with Tajikistan for the period 2023–2026, as well as work on developing a new strategy for subsequent years. This project is being prepared by the bank's experts together with representatives of the country's relevant ministries and departments.
Azim Ibrokhim expressed gratitude to the European Bank for fruitful cooperation and spoke about the priority areas for the development of the road transport sector in Tajikistan, taking into account national strategic goals. In particular, the Minister noted the following key tasks:
- creation of modern infrastructure for the development of transport corridors and maximum use of the country's transit potential;
- stimulating the development of electric transport and the introduction of environmentally friendly technologies;
- digitalization of the transport industry to improve efficiency and quality of services;
- development of logistics systems and increasing their competitiveness.
During the negotiations, specific projects were identified in which the EBRD could participate, including the reconstruction of the Obigarm-Nurabad and Guliston-Dangara roads, support for the introduction of digital technologies in the transport sector, the construction of a modern logistics centre at the Fotehabad state border checkpoint and other initiatives.
Following the meeting, the parties agreed on further close cooperation in the process of finalizing the new Cooperation Strategy. Representatives of the Ministry of Transport and EBRD experts will work together to improve documents and strengthen partnerships for the implementation of ambitious infrastructure projects in the country.