DUSHANBE, November 7, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- The Government of Tajikistan has applied to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) asking to consider the possibility of launching a new support program for Tajikistan.

Mr. Ahmed Masood, Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department, IMF told journalists this here on November 5 after a meeting with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon.

He expressed hope that an agreement on the next three-year program would be reached within the next few months.

Mr. Masood noted that the Fund would ready to continue to support Tajikistan through providing both technical assistance and financial resources.

According to him, they also discussed issues related to the financial and economic situation in the region and in the country itself.

“We discussed ways that would made economic growth of the country more sustainable so that it [economic growth] would promote creation of new jobs,” IMF official said, noting that creation of new jobs will allow reducing the country’s dependence on migrant remittances.  

They reportedly also discussed ways to increase private investments in the country’s economy.

On the same day, Ahmed Masood met with representatives of economic bloc ministries.

The IMF mission, led by Ahmed Masood, arrived in Dushanbe for a two-week visit on November 1.