DUSHANBE, October 21, 2015, Asia-Plus -- UK supports Tajikistan in improving its Investment Climate and joins to pledge US$ 3.75 million, according to the British Embassy in Dushanbe.

On October 14, Tajikistan held its second International Entrepreneurship Forum in Dushanbe.  UK Department for International Development (DFID) and State Secretariat of Economic Affairs of Switzerland jointly allocated additional US$ 3.75 million to help improve the Investment Climate in Tajikistan.

A newly appointed Head of DFID Central Asia Peter Fernandes-Cardy travelled to Dushanbe  to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the State Committee for Investment and State-owned Property Management to extend the Central Asia Investment Climate Program.

The program is implemented by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and covers Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.  It was active since 2012 with US$ 9.5 million and now with additional funding will work until end of 2017 in a number of areas important for Tajikistan: business regulation and investment policy; improving tax administration; strengthening corporate governance practices of local firms; and development of  mobile money platform and facilitating public private partnerships.

DFID in partnership with the government of Tajikistan stays committed to implementing the ongoing reforms for supporting a vibrant and diversified private sector  as a critical element of sustainable economic development and poverty reduction in Tajikistan.