Tajikistan

The EU and Tajikistan are collaborating to enhance transport connectivity, facilitate trade, and drive economic growth. This partnership aims to modernise infrastructure, streamline logistics, and improve cross-border security. Efforts include:

• Trade facilitation for a greater cooperation among Central Asian countries to ease cross-border transit.
• Establishing a coordination mechanism and stimulating investment along the Trans-Caspian Transport Network, including through the financing of pre-feasibility studies.
• Improving business climate and investments in Central Asia.
• Making the cotton value chain greener and boosting green economic growth.
• Supporting improved Central Asian border management and safety.

The regional Team Europe on digital connectivity in Tajikistan and other Central Asian countries focuses on establishing a supportive environment for digital connectivity:

• Enhancing the policy and regulatory framework that enables the development and the deployment of sustainable and inclusive satellite connectivity.
• Deploying ground infrastructure for satellite connectivity.

Energy is a national priority for the country and its key sector for our partnership and cooperation with Tajikistan. The EU is committed to supporting Tajikistan in its journey towards a sustainable and resilient future. This partnership focuses on advancing renewable energy and energy efficiency through significant investments in hard infrastructure, as well as implementing crucial energy sector reforms to ensure long-term sustainability and efficiency. That includes:

• Investing to unleash country’s hydropower potential.
• Supporting renewable energy and energy efficiency in housing and industry.
• Rehabilitating old power grids and preparing them for renewable energy.
• Cleaning up old uraniumsites in Central Asia.

Tajikistan, rich in water resources, also faces significant challenges in managing them effectively, while being increasingly exposed to the impacts of climate change. Through our bilateral and regional cooperation, Tajikistan and the EU work together to:  

• Improve rural drinking water supply and sanitation.
• Improve urban water supply and wastewater services.
• Promote sustainable and efficient use of water.
• Improve regional coordination on water management through the regional Team Europe Initiative on Water, Energy and Climate Change.

The EU and Tajikistan are working together to reinforce the employability of Tajikistan’s youth, women and returnee migrants. Improving their quality of education and skills are key priorities. This partnership is focusing on:

• Providing budget support for the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector.
• Improving skills and competencies of adolescent girls and strengthening competency-based and ICT-enabled STEM (Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and VET (Vocational Education and Training) education.
• Supporting the promotion of the basic education and access to facilities providing water, sanitation, health care waste management (WASH) in rural areas.
• Improving youth technical skills through the Dialogue and Action for Resourceful Youth in Central Asia (DARYA).

Achieving sustainable migration management in Central Asia is a key priority. Tajikistan is addressing migration challenges by implementing policies that support migrant workers and their families, ensuring their wellbeing and integration. It works with the EU on:

• Improving access to health and education, and creating economic opportunities for vulnerable Afghans and their host communities.
• Working with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to help displaced Afghans throughout the region and helping the IOM with displacement tracking and evidence gathering.
• Fighting against human traffickingand smuggling of migrants.
• Promoting safer and cheaper transfer of remittances from migrant workers to their families in Central Asia.
• Improving migration management and migrant protection in selected Silk Routes and Central Asian Countries.

The EU supports Tajikistan in strengthening the health system and reinforcing civil society and human rights by:

• Upgrading the Government’s healthcare capacities and strengthening public finance management.
• Improving the competences of family doctors and nurses as well as the quality of primary health care while rehabilitating primary and secondary health care premises, health waste, and water and sanitation infrastructure.
• Reinforcing human rights, rule of law and democracy in accordance with European and other international standards, particularly by strengthening human and women’s rights in the justice system and strengthening civil society organisations (CSOs).
• Reducing the demand for illegal drugs.
• Supporting a regional Central Asian COVID-19 vaccination system.