The OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe highlights its support for business development in the regions of Tajikistan at international entrepreneurship forum

On 15 October over 2,000 participants from 21 countries gathered at the fourth annual International Entrepreneurship Forum in Dushanbe. High-level government officials, financial institutions, businesses, diplomats and representatives of international organizations discussed the development of entrepreneurship and investment, as well as contemporary economic trends.

In his speech to the Forum, President of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon, highlighted the investment opportunities in the country, the need to develop entrepreneurship and embrace modern communication technologies and innovative economic processes.

Addressing the Forum, Edward Safaryan, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe’s Economic Officer highlighted the OSCE’s contribution to entrepreneurship and business development. “We are supporting the realisation of new business ideas through a network of Business Resource Centres operating in Garm, Shaartuz and Kulyab.”  Safaryan added that the establishment of Business Resource Centres was the result of joint work by the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe and the State Committee on Investment and State Property Management of the Republic of Tajikistan.

Safaryan also referred to the Office’s recent initiative of organizing three start-up weekends, during which young people had the opportunity to work with mentors to shape and present their business ideas for further development and implementation. He stressed that “private initiatives driven by the younger generation of entrepreneurs” deserve to be supported in order to stimulate young people’s interest in business.

During the Forum, several agreements on investments and collaboration, including in the food and beverage industry, textile production, urban infrastructure and agribusiness were concluded.