Tajikistan heads towards e-government

DUSHANBE, February 2, 2011, Asia-Plus - The Government of Tajikistan has begun using video conferencing as a communications tool as it increases its use of information technology.

According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)’s Tajikistan Resident Mission, the State Committee on Investments and State-owned Property Management held its first press conference through video link last week.  During the press conference, the main office in Dushanbe was connected with the Committee’s sub-offices in Sughd, Khatlon, and Gorno-Badakhshan regions.

“I would like to commend the Committee for the first ever video conference by the Tajik government.  It’s a very important milestone towards creating e-government in the country,” said Joji Tokeshi, ADB’s Country Director for Tajikistan.

The Committee, with the support of development partners, uses information and communication technology to enhance access to and delivery of its services to benefit citizens, business partners, and employees.

In 2010, the ADB completed its grant project to help the Committee improve investment promotion and private sector development.

The project equipped the Committee with the required office hardware, software and furniture to increase staff efficiency, and provided policy advice and capacity building to improve the organizational structure and the potential to attract better investment and promotion.  It also helped develop professional investment promotion and business support information materials, comprising sector and regional investment maps, and an investors’ guide.

The $2 million technical assistance grant was co-financed by the Government of the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID).  The project was implemented over three years from October 2007 to October 2010.