DUSHANBE, March 20, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- Tajikistan’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) and the Mountain Societies Development Support Program (MSDSP), a locally registered organization and a non time-bound project administered by the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) in Tajikistan, signed a cooperation agreement on March 19, according to the CCI press service.

The agreement was inked by the CCI head Sharif Said and the MSDSP general manager Kishvar Abdulalishoyev.

Speaking at the agreement-signing ceremony, he CCI head noted that under the conditions of the global financial crisis a role of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in expansion of trade and economic cooperation was becoming decisive.  According to him, this is conditioned by the fact that SMEs respond quicker to market opportunities.

For his part, Abdulalishoyev expressed satisfaction with joint efforts taken to support development of SMEs in the country and noted that the MSDPS was dedicated to support development of mountain areas in Tajikistan, the press service said.

The agreement reportedly provides for joint measures to organize training, workshops, business conferences, etc.