Stakeholders Discuss Local Economic Development through Government, Business and Civil Society Partnerships in Tajikistan

Dushanbe, 5 June 2026 – A roundtable on “Managing Local Economic Development in the Republic of Tajikistan: Planning and Cooperation between NGOs, Jamoats and the Private Sector” brought together representatives of national and local authorities, jamoats, civil society organizations, businesses, academia and development partners.

The event was organized by the public organizations Saodat and Fidokor in cooperation with the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of the Republic of Tajikistan and the Committee for Local Development under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan within the framework of the Effective Governance for Economic Development (EGED) Programme, funded by the UK Government and implemented in cooperation with the Development Policy Institute (Kyrgyzstan).

The roundtable aimed to strengthen dialogue on local economic development (LED), improve development planning practices at district and jamoat levels, and promote effective cooperation between government institutions, local communities, civil society and the private sector.

Participants discussed:

• current approaches to local development planning;
• mechanisms for stimulating local economic growth;
• data-driven planning and forecasting methods;
• international and regional experiences in local economic development;
• practical tools for improving territorial development management.

The event presented preliminary results of local economic development microprojects implemented in the Sughd and Khatlon regions.

In four pilot jamoats:

• 7 business initiatives were supported;
• more than TJS 187,000 was invested;
• over 70 jobs and self-employment opportunities were created.

In Khatlon region:

• more than 11,500 residents benefited from new economic opportunities;
• 13 new jobs were created;
• household incomes increased by 25–35%;
• local production expanded and accessed new markets.

"Improving the well-being of the population is one of the priorities of the Government of Tajikistan, and this cannot be achieved without local development and improving the quality of life in communities", said Manuchehra Madzhon, Head of the Main Department for Investment Policy and Regional Development of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade.

"Local economic development begins with understanding the potential of each territory. When authorities, citizens and businesses work together, even small initiatives can generate sustainable economic results and improve people's lives", noted Nadezhda Dobretsova, Chairperson of the Development Policy Institute.

"The project demonstrated that even modest investments can deliver significant results. The experience gained can be scaled up across other regions of Tajikistan", said Munira Osimova, Project Manager of Saodat.

"Through two microprojects, more than 11,500 residents gained new opportunities for employment and income generation, contributing to local economic growth and market expansion", stated Rustam Bakhridinov, Project Manager of Fidokor.

• Participants recommended:
• strengthening the role of jamoats in local economic development planning;
• introducing data-driven forecasting approaches;
• integrating local development indicators into national monitoring systems;
• expanding support for economic microprojects;
• strengthening partnerships between government, civil society and the private sector;
• scaling successful local initiatives to other regions.

“In the context of digital transformation, growing use of artificial intelligence, regional development disparities and climate challenges, approaches to local development planning must be continuously reviewed and improved to remain effective and responsive to emerging needs”, Zoirjon Sharipov, National Coordinator of the EGED Programme in Tajikistanю

The participants expressed their commitment to continue cooperation on improving local economic development tools and planning mechanisms in support of Tajikistan’s Medium-Term Development Programme for 2026–2030.