DUSHANBE. April 15, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- When seeking way out of the global financial crisis it is necessary to take into account the demographic situation in the region.

Mr. Ben Slay, a senior economist for UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Europe and CIS, remarked this in Dushanbe yesterday, while presenting his report on impact of the global financial crisis on the CIS economies with emphasis on the Central Asian region crisis and measures to address the crisis effects.

Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Slay drew attention of those present to sharp differences between export and import figures in Tajikistan, strong dependence of the country’s economy on labor migrants’ remittances.  According to him, the share of labor migrants’ remittances last year amounted to 46 percent of Tajikistan’s gross domestic product (GDP), while in neighboring Kyrgyzstan it amounted to 19 percent.

The UNDP expert pointed to the necessity of developing human potentials and taking into considerations health, education and gender equality as important factors of poverty that are not connected with the income levels.

The meeting participants included Mr. Rastislav Vrbensky, UNDP Tajikistan’s Country Director, senior representatives from president’s office, relevant ministries, and diplomatic missions and international organizations active in Tajikistan.

Zafar Burhonov, an official with the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (MoEDT) reported on anticrisis measures worked out by the Tajik government.