DUSHANBE, October 8, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- Two-day negotiations between Tajik and German specialists on issues related to socioeconomic cooperation between the two countries were launched in Dushanbe today. 

Introducing the German delegation that arrived in Dushanbe to participate in the negotiations, the German Ambassador to Tajikistan, Ms. Doris Hertrampf, noted that both countries have good potentials to expand their economic cooperation.  

Speaking at the meeting, Ms. Larisa Kislyakova, Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Tajikistan also co-chairperson of the negotiations, briefed the German delegation on the present socioeconomic situation in Tajikistan.  According to her, the tendency of sustainable development of Tajikistan’s economy has continued.  However, she pointed out problems related to energy shortages, demography, as well as decline in production of cotton over the past three years.   

For her party, Ms. Marion Urban, Chairperson of the Department for Central Asia and South Caucasus within Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Development, heading the German delegation and co-chairing the negotiations, noted that the German Government supports socioeconomic reforms carried out in Tajikistan.  “In the first place, our country aims its efforts at providing support to the poor sections of Tajikistan’s population to improve their living conditions,” Ms. Urban said.     

The negotiations are discussing joint projects in social and economic fields, including issues related to providing loans to small and medium-sized enterprises, construction of small power plants in the mountain areas of Tajikistan and reduction of corruption in the country.  

Senior representatives of relevant ministries and organizations are representing Tajikistan in the negotiations.  

According to the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (MoEDT), a two-way trade between Tajikistan and Germany in January-August 2008 has valued at US$22.0671 million.  This consisted of Tajikistan’s exports to Germany estimated at US$214,100 and Tajikistan’s imports from Germany worth US$21.853 million.