DUSHANBE, April 7, 2016, Asia-Plus -- More than sixty female leaders representing businesses, state bodies, international organizations, and NGOs from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan gathered in Dushanbe today to participate in a two-day roundtable titled Women Entrepreneurs of Central Asia:  Experience, Challenges and Development Prospects .  

The event is organized through the USAID’s Regional Economic Cooperation (REC) Project and implemented by the Business Association of Women-Entrepreneurs “ASIA” in partnership with the Tajik National Association of Women-Entrepreneurs “Kadbonu” with support of the State Committee on Investment and State-owned Property Management of Tajikistan in the framework of the activities of its Working Group on Support of Women Entrepreneurship.

The meeting participants are reportedly discussing issues related to supporting women’s entrepreneurship and a role of business associations in expansion of cooperation between female entrepreneurs of the region.

The USAID’s Regional Economic Cooperation (REC) Project facilitates trade among Central Asian countries, Afghanistan, as well as with other large trading partners.  Through capacity building initiatives and gender integration strategies, REC expands firms’ export potential, while building business network connections in the region.  REC also works towards improving Central Asian countries’ pro-trade policies and procedures, increasing transport corridor performance, assisting Tajikistan in strengthening the capacity of trade promotion agencies.