ADB to credit $252M to Tajikistan for programme to reduce poverty.

DUSHANBE, August 20 (Itar-Tass) - The Asian Development Bank /ADB/
will provide to Tajikistan a grant of 252 million dollars over three
years, ADB's Country Director in Tajikistan Makoto Ojiro said over a news conference on Friday.

The money will be allocated for the development of the country,
including its energy complex, and for the national programme to reduce
poverty, he said.
During the past week, the bank approved the allocation of 122 million
dollars for Tajikistan's energy security. Ojiro said that from early 2007,
the bank allocated 240 million dollars to the country for the
rehabilitation of the Nurek hydroelectric plant, which capacity is 6,000
megawatts, for the reconstruction of the road from the border with
Kyrgyzstan to Dushanbe, for several projects to provide access for
residents to clear water. The total amount of money the bank allocated
without indemnity to Tajikistan from 1997 though to 2010 makes 720 million
dollars, he said.
Ojiro expressed confidence that over coming year or two Tajikistan
will show positive economic growth of 5-6 percent.
The economic situation in the country is improving, and there is
growing demand for goods exported from Tajikistan - cotton and alumni.
Ojiro also mentioned the re-gained money flow from labour migrants, which
had reduces due to the financial crisis over the previous year.

-0-kar/gor