Dushanbe, May 10, 2016 – Today, the Deputy Chairman of the 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. 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.
“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, World Bank Country Manager for Tajikistan. “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. The training launched today aims to reinforce the Government’s ability to implement its policies by establishing a cohort of well-informed, action-oriented mid-level officials who will become the reform leaders in private sector development and jobs creation. The training will also include more general topics on private sector development, such as foreign investments, tax policy and access to credit.
“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, Deputy Chairman of the State Committee on Investments and State Property Management. "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.
The World Bank’s active portfolio in Tajikistan includes 23 projects (including regional projects and Trust Funds) with a net commitment of US$355.63 million that aim to support economic growth through private sector development, while investing in better public services for people, such as education, health, municipal services and social protection.
