DUSHANBE, December 26, 2009, Asia-Plus -- The Government of Tajikistan (GoT) and the UNICEF Country Office in Tajikistan signed the Plan of Actions for implementation the Country Program of Cooperation 2010-2015 on December 25.

The document was inked by Ms. Ruqiya Qurbonova, Deputy Prime Minister of Tajikistan, and Ms. Hongwei Gao, UNICEF Country Representative for Tajikistan.

The plan of actions is a frame agreement, dedicated to promote physical, psychological, social and intellectual development of children in favorable domestic surroundings, higher level of protection of children and youth against HIV/AIDS and other factors posing threat to their health and wellbeing as well as protection of rights of children with focus on the most vulnerable categories

Speaking at the document-signing ceremony, Ms. Qurbonova noted that cooperation between Tajikistan and UNICEF was based on a high level of mutual understanding and has played an important role in providing worth life and development of children in our country.

For her part, Ms. Hongwei Gao stressed that UNICEF was always ready for cooperation with GoT in supporting children’s development and rights protection.

Under the signed document, within the next six years, UNICEF will provide 12 million U.S. dollars to Tajikistan from its own funds and another 16 million U.S. dollars will be provided due to donors, strategic partners and the UN agencies, Ms. Hongwei Gao noted.

UNICEF''s commitment to the children of Tajikistan began on August 14 1994 with the signing of Agreement of Cooperation between UNICEF and the Government of Tajikistan. From 1994 until 2000, UNICEF was mainly involved with the provision of humanitarian assistance to cushion the impact of civil war and natural calamities on the lives of children and women in the country. With the implementation of the Country Program of Cooperation 2000-2004, 2005-2009 UNICEF has moved from extending humanitarian relief to development assistance and child-rights sector reform which lays the foundation for sustainable development.