Newsletter No. 1097
News-Analysis
August 2, 2008

 

The following newsletter has been contributed by Takuya Murata (Shingetsu Member No. 117). Murata is affiliated with the University of Hawaii.

RECENT AID FOR TAJIKISTAN

On December 21, 2007, MOFA announced two grant aid packages: About US$480,000 for the Project for the Improvement of Water Supplies in the Mir Saiid Ali Khamadoni District of the Khatlon Region; and about US$600,000 for the Project for the Rehabilitation of the Kurgan Tyube-Dusti Road. The agreement was signed in Dushanbe between then-Ambassador Hiroshi Takahashi and Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi. On May 19th of this year, additional aid was announced by MOFA for the Project for the Rehabilitation of the Kurgan Tyube-Dusti Road. This was a much larger aid package of about US$32 million which would be provided in four installments between 2008 and 2011.

Project for the Improvement of Water Supplies: Even though Tajikistan has abundant water sources, only about 60% of the population receives safe drinking water. Statistically this is the lowest water access rate in the Central Asia-Caucasus region, and in the rural areas this percentage falls to about 20%. Many people rely on polluted or dirty water given the limited access to clean water, resulting in illnesses such as diarrhea. The MOFA statement implies improving access to clean water can make a meaningful contribution to people’s lives in Tajikistan. This grant is a response to a request for financial support to MOFA from the Tajikistan government.

Project for the Rehabilitation of the Kurgan Tyube-Dusti Road: Given the mountainous terrain that characterizes land-locked Tajikistan, its main road system that runs north and south from Dushanbe is a critical corridor for the country, facilitating transport with Afghanistan and other Asian countries. However, these roads were built in the Soviet times and are quite old, and have been poorly maintained during the civil war. Along with other major aid efforts such as United States aid on the Tajik border crossing with Afghanistan, from ADB on the Dushanbe-Kurgan Tyube section of the road, and existing Japanese aid for the Dusti-Nizhniy Pyandzh road, this will help put in place key infrastructure facilitating Tajikistan’s economy to develop. Improvements in road infrastructure will allow increase in travel speed and in traffic especially for large trucks and other vehicles.

Aid in Response to Cold Wave: On February 7th 2008, in response to a severe cold wave in Tajikistan, the Japanese government extended emergency relief in kind of approximately US$100,000 of blankets. The cold wave caused problems at several levels beyond the cold itself, increasing electricity and heating demands above supply, delaying and blocking transport routes including transport of food, and damage to water pipe systems.

Aid for Beekeeping: On June 26th, the Asahi Shinbun reported a story about how the Association for Aid and Relief Japan (AAR Japan) was working at a person-to-person level. AAR Japan, with financial support from the Japanese government, started bee keeping / honey production in the Rasht region, a rugged mountainous region about four hours from Dushanbe. Beekeeping training, bee hives, and a small truck were provided to groups with disabilities and the operation which started in April 2008 was planned to expand in July.