DUSHANBE, September 22, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- President Emomali Rahmon today morning departed for the southern Khatlon province.

According to the presidential press service, the president will take part in a ceremony of opening of the rehabilitated road from Dusti to Nizhny Panj on the Tajik-Afghan border.

The Dusti-Nizhny Panj road rehabilitation project was implemented under financial support of the Government of Japan.  A total cost of the project is some 20 million U.S. dollars the source said.

The Dusti-Nizhny Panj road runs in the southern part of the Corridor South-North and further links with "Dusti" Bridge across the Panj River, which links Tajikistan with Afghanistan.  Improvement of the road will strengthen regional economic development, international trade in Central Asia and cooperation of Tajikistan with neighboring countries such as Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran.