DUSHANBE, July 29, 2009, Asia-Plus -- On Tuesday July 28, a loan agreement for 20 million U.S. dollars was signed in Dushanbe between the Government of Tajikistan, represented by Finance Minister Safarali Najmiddinov, and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), represented by IDB Vice-President Birama Boubacar Sidibe.

Speaking to reporters after the agreement-singing ceremony, Najmiddinov said the amount of that preferential loan was allocated for co-financing construction of two sections of the Kulob-Qalai Khumb road, namely; Shuroobod-Anjirobi Poyon and Anjirobi Poyon-Shogun, with a total length of 39 kilometers.

The project will support social and economic development of the southeast region of Tajikistan and break the isolation of the country by connecting it to the Karakoram Highway in China through the Kulma Pass.

For his part, Mr. Sidibe noted that the IDB would also cooperate with Tajikistan in sectors like energy, agriculture, etc.