DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, December 4. Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmon highlighted the importance of executing the CASA-1000 project, which links the energy markets of Central Asia with South Asian countries, namely Afghanistan and Pakistan, during his meeting with the President of the World Bank Group, Ajay Banga, Trend reports.
The meeting was held in Dubai, UAE, during the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change - COP28.
Both sides discussed the current state of cooperation in water and energy, agriculture, environmental sustainability, rural development, economic policies, advancements in the healthcare and education sectors, urban planning, and poverty alleviation during the discussion.
Rahmon praised the World Bank's contribution to climate change adaptation and mitigation financing. He saw the bank as an important partner in Tajikistan's development and expressed pleasure with the degree of cooperation.
Tajik president highlighted the significant areas of cooperation with the WB, including inclusive and structural reforms in the country's economy, particularly in sectors such as telecommunications, digitalization, civil aviation, and improvement of the investment climate. Additionally, Rahmon extended an invitation to Ajay Banga to visit Tajikistan, which was warmly accepted.
Presently, the World Bank is funding 28 projects in Tajikistan, totaling $1.5 billion.
CASA-1000 is an infrastructure project with the objective of transmitting 1,300 megawatts of surplus electricity from Central Asian countries, particularly Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, to high-demand electricity markets in South Asian countries, namely Afghanistan and Pakistan. The project involves upgrading the electrical grids in participating countries through the construction of new substations and high-voltage power transmission lines.