DUSHANBE, July 30, 2013, Asia-Plus -- Over the first three months of this year, the volume of foreign investments in Tajikistan’s economy has amounted to 182.2 million U.S. dollars, which is 47.7 million U.S. dollars more than in the same period of last year.

The volume of foreign investments in Tajikistan’s economy rose 2.4 times as much in a year to December 31, 2012, reaching 746.3 million U.S. dollars, Shuhrat Rahmatboyev, the first deputy head of the State Committee on Investments and State-owned Property Management announced at a news conference in Dushanbe on July 30.

Over the first quarter of this year, foreign direct investments (FDIs) have reportedly totaled 62.4 million U.S. dollars, 2.1 million U.S. dollars more than in the same period last year.

Over the report period, Russia’s share in the overall volume of foreign investments has accounted to 46.4 million U.S. dollars, including 40 million U.S. dollars in FDIs.

Turkey (46 million U.S. dollars), China (29.9 million U.S. dollars), Iran (15 million U.S. dollars), and the United Arab Emirates (6.9 million U.S. dollars) are among the top five investors in Tajikistan.

They area followed by Qatar (6.5 million U.S. dollars), Sweden (4.9 million U.S. dollars), the United Kingdom (4.2 million U.S. dollars), the United States (4.2 million U.S. dollars), etc.

Much of these investments have gone into construction projects.

As far as the private sector is concerned, Rahmatboyev noted that it’s share in the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) has amounted to some 50 percent.  As of May 1, 2013, 250 economic entities reportedly functioned in the country.  Over the first five months of this year, Tajik banks have reportedly provided 5.4 billion somoni in loans to the private sector, which was 1.7 million somoni more than in the same period last year.