DUSHANBE, August 14, Asia-Plus - More than 50 percent of joint venture launched in Tajikistan are operating partially or not in operation at all, according to information from the Ministry of Economy and Trade.   

The source in the Ministry of Economy and Trade says that the main reason for such a situation is the fact that in the course of the time the enterprise’s activity is becoming unprofitable and foreign investor is leaving the country, and the joint venture is either liquidated or operates partially, only with participation of the Tajik side.  

For the period from 1998 to April this, more than 400 joint ventures have been registered in the country.  According to data from the Ministry of Economy and Trade, Tajikistan has received US$228 million in direct investments since 2000.  Since the beginning of this year, the country has received US$15.9 million in investments and 18 joint ventures with participation of Kazakhstan, Iran, Turkey, Russia, Ukraine and the United Kingdom have been launched in Tajikistan.   

According to information from the Ministry of Justice, they do have precise data about a number of joint ventures launched in the territory of Tajikistan and about liquidated joint ventures.  The source justified it by saying that in early Nineties, because of unstable situation in the republic a system of registration of joint ventures launched in the country did not work properly.  “Now, it is difficult to collect these data,” the source in the Justice Ministry said.  

The source says the last joint venture was registered by the Ministry of Justice on August 8.  It is a closed joint-stock company (CJSC) “Agis-Oryon”.  “Agis-Oryon” has been launched by Tajik company “Oryon International”, Russian company “Agis-Stal” and Agis-Stal’s branch in Kazakhstan “Agis-Temir”.  Tajik company owns 40 percent and “Agis-Stal” and “Agis-Temir” assume the 30% ownership interest each in the closed joint-stock company “Agis-Oryon”.  The CJSC “Agis-Oryon” offers services on maintaining technical part and software of computers and other office equipment.