DUSHANBE, May 5, 2009, Asia-Plus -- On Tuesday May 5, Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi and the U.S. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Tajikistan, Ms. Tracey Ann Jacobson, officially signed Amendment 9 to the Letter of Agreement Between the Government of Tajikistan and the Government of the United States on Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement.

This document will provide $9,426,000 in additional assistance to the Government of Tajikistan and local organizations.

According to the US Embassy in Dushanbe, the assistance package includes:

$2,400,000 for Community Policing - Community Relations and Crises Response Project;

$1,800,000 for Border Guards to include: Reconstruction, training and upgrade of Jairali, Yol,

Shuroobod Detachment, Border Guards Academy, and Murgab, Kulma, Kizil-art border

Facilities;

$1,585,000 for Criminal Law, Islamic Institute, Defense Lawyer Training, Prosecutor/Judge

Training and Law Studies Scholarship Program;

$1,150,000 for Ministry of Internal Affairs to include: MVD Officer Training and Building,

Forensics Development, Community Policing - Police Relations (Community Police

Partnership), and MVD Academy Construction;

$750,000 for support of INL Construction Engineer, Law Enforcement Advisor, and Training

Manager for the Ministry of Internal Affairs;

$575,000 for local organizations to provide Access to Justice Grants, and English Language

Training for Ministry of Justice;

$241,000 for the Drug Control Agency to include: DCA Drug Liaison Officers in Afghanistan,

Drug Demand Reduction Program, as well as reprogramming previously allocated $500,000 to

establishing a GBAO team at the Drug Control Agency;

$525,000 for State Committee on National Security Professional Development;

$400,000 for combating trafficking in persons and money laundering.

With this assistance, the U.S. Embassy''s International Narcotics and Law Enforcement program has provided more than $37 million in assistance to support Tajikistan''s security, rule of law and counter narcotics efforts since 1992. The United States Government is committed to continue its support to the Tajik law enforcement agencies.