DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, June 14. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) highly values its close relationship with Tajikistan and remains dedicated to providing ongoing support to help the country become more resilient and sustainable, ADB’s Director General for Central and West Asia Yevgeniy Zhukov said during the Third High-Level International Conference on International Decade for Action, “Water for Sustainable Development,” in Dushanbe, Trend reports.
He highlighted the urgency of enhancing resilience to escalating climate challenges and extreme weather conditions, along with fostering a robust private sector. This approach aims to support Tajikistan in achieving sustainable and high-quality growth and development.
“Going forward, ADB will look at all our projects through the lens of climate impact. We will also work harder on developing private sector investments in the country,” he said.
During his 3-day visit to Tajikistan, Zhukov visited an ADB-funded irrigation project and a sediment exclusion basin in the Hamadoni district. The basin plays a crucial role in preventing sediment build-up in irrigation canals and protecting the pumps that lift water for irrigation. This, in turn, boosts agricultural production and ensures food security in the country.
The bank warned that Tajikistan is vulnerable to serious climate-related risks that might have long-lasting negative effects on the country's economy, society, and environment. An estimated 20 percent of the country's glaciers have melted away in the last 34 years, endangering the economy that depends so largely on rivers fed by glaciers for hydropower generation and irrigation.
Tajikistan became a member of the ADB in 1998. Throughout its 26-year history, ADB has offered assistance in a wide range of sectors, encompassing strategic road and energy infrastructure, health, education, agriculture, urban development, and finance. . The total assistance amounts to over $2.6 billion, with more than $2 billion given as grants.