Eng - UNDP in Tajikistan

DEVELOPMENT PARTNER PROFILE
on accelerating the land reform process, improving agricultural services and enhancing the targeting of the social safety net for the most
vulnerable.
Technical support in the country takes the form of two long-term technical assistants, one being based in the Ministry of Agriculture and the
other one in the Ministry of Finance.
NGO Food Security programme: In addition to its foreign exchange facility and budgetary support, the FSP also supports a number of
agricultural projects carried out by European NGOs. These projects are being implemented since 1996.
3- European Commission Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR)
This programme, launched in Tajikistan in August 2003, aims at supporting small-scale initiatives in the fields of promotion and protection of
human rights; promotion of penal reform and prisoners' rights; support to democracy and good governance, media freedom, rule of law and
security structures (police/armed forces); conflict prevention. The EIDHR budget for 2003-2005 was EUR 1.1 million and supports 21
projects, 7 of which are in the process of submitting final reports, 6 on-going projects and 8 projects are under preparation.
4- Macro-Financial Assistance
The EC has provided exceptional financial assistance to Tajikistan in the form of a loan of EUR 60 million, which was disbursed in March
2001 soon after Tajikistan had settled its outstanding loan arrears of EUR 79 million towards the EC. Under the exceptional financial
assistance, the EC also made available a total maximum grant amount of EUR 35 million which has been paid in several tranches over the
past five years.
The assistance is conditional on satisfactory implementation by Tajikistan of the economic programme supported by the IMF through its
Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) arrangement. Secondly, specific conditionality on structural reforms is attached to the
payment of each grant tranche. Finally, Tajikistan shall reduce its indebtnedness towards the Community by an agreed amount before further
grant tranches are released.
5- European Commission Humanitarian Aid Department (ECHO)
ECHO provides funding to international organizations implementing humanitarian assistance programmes. ECHO’s mandate is to respond to
emergency humanitarian crises in the immediate aftermath of a natural or man-made disaster, or conflict, with the aim of saving lives. All
funding is in the form of cash grants, paid at headquarters level to implementing agencies (EU-based non governmental organizations, UN
agencies and Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
The budget/fiscal year is January-December. The programming year for Tajikistan is currently May-April. The priority sectors of intervention
are health (medical, training), drinking water and sanitation. Household food security. ECHO also funds some disaster preparedness activities
in Central Asia, with a focus on Tajikistan, through its programme DIPECHO.
Since 1992, close to EUR 160,000 have been allocated to Tajikistan to cover humanitarian needs. In addition, some EUR 7.5 million have
covered disaster preparedness activities in the country through DIPECHO since 2003.
Apart from these five main financial instruments, programmes in the areas of mine action, migration, cross-border cooperation and
contributions to the Global Fund against AIDS, TB and Malaria are executed.
Future Programming Direction
As of 1 January 2007, the European Commission is implementing its external aid through new instruments, whereas the old ones have been
ended. The main instrument for external aid to Tajikistan will be channeled through the Development and Cooperation Initiative (DCI). The
new DCI provides more types of measures of support, and does not only focus on technical assistance. The new programme foresees also the
possibility to provide budget support, investments, contributions for loan, financing and targeted administrative measures and twinning.
The European Commission's 2007 - 2013 Regional Assistance strategy for Central Asia was informally endorsed by the EU Member States
on 28 November 2006. Focal areas are the promotion of good governance and economic reforms; development of regional cooperation and
poverty alleviation. The strategy is at present under scrutiny by the EP and it is planned that the document can be formally approved by the
Commission in March 2007.
To reflect greater engagement of the EU in the region, the EC assistance budget under 2007-2013 for Central Asia will be significantly
increased to a total € 719 mio - an increase of over 90% compared with 2000 - 2006 allocations, with average annual allocation to the region
up from € 54.5 mio in 2006 to € 139 mio in 2013. During the Indicative Programme 2007 - 2010, a total EC grant of ~ € 315 million is
planned for Central Asia under DCI, i.e. an average annual budget of € 78.4 mio per year. A total amount of 66 million Euros has been
earmarked for the period 2007-10 for Tajikistan. Out of the 66 million Euros for 2007-2010, 23 million are dedicated to a budget support
programme in the sector of social protection. The remainder goes to Private Sector Development, health and poverty alleviation.
The bulk of EC assistance to Central Asia - 78% will be directed at bilateral assistance, including 8% for education and S& T cooperation.
For the first time an explicit financial envelope has been made available (€ 4.4 mio) to allow mobilization of teachers and students under the
Erasmus Mundus programme - part Central Asia. For bilateral cooperation with Tajikistan, around EUR 66 million are foreseen which is 30%
of the bilateral envelope.
Attention will be paid to supporting Central Asian regional cooperation to link Caspian basin States with the Black Sea and the Western
Newly Independent States which will benefit from the European Neighbourhood Policy financing instrument (ENPI): 22% of assistance will
be dedicated to facilitate closer inter - state cooperation both within Central Asia and between Central Asia, South Caucasus and the EU,
particularly in the energy, transport, environmental sectors. Provision will also enable the participation of Central Asian countries in ENPI
East regional programmes: the alignment of regional cooperation priorities for Central Asia with the ENPI East regional strategy lies at the
heart of future assistance policy and programmes and will strengthen links with Eastern Europe.
Source: Aid Coordination and Project Monitoring System Database
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