DUSHANBE, May 15, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- President Emomali Rahmon yesterday received Mr. Michel Mordasini, Executive Director at the World Bank, according to presidential press service.

In the course of the talks, the sides discussed the cotton sector debt problems, construction of hydropower facilities and development of hydropower resources in Tajikistan, as well as issues related to supporting development of the private sector and improvement of investment climate in the country.

Mr. Mordasini is the Swiss Government''s appointee to represent Tajikistan in the World Bank Group and President Rahmon expressed gratitude to him and the Government of Switzerland for representing Tajikistan’s interests in the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as well as for financial and technical assistance, the press service said.

The two also exchanged views on ways to minimize impact of the global financial crisis on Tajikistan’s economy and considered outcomes of the recent meeting of representatives of the Tajik government with representatives of donor community.  Rahmon and Mordasini expressed satisfaction with the outcomes of the meeting that ended with a decision to provide additional financial and technical assistance to Tajikistan for practical implementation of its anticrisis program.