DUSHANBE, June 4, Asia-Plus -- A meeting of the Consultative Group of Donors (Tajikistan Development Forum) was held in Dushanbe on June 2. 

Inaugurating the forum, Tajik Prime Minister Oqil Oqilov noted that the objective of the meeting is to discuss ways of further socioeconomic development of the country and determine role of partners in providing assistance with achievement of the development goals.  

Addressing the meeting, the World Bank Regional Director for Central Asia Annette Dixon noted that a progress had been made in implementation of the first poverty reduction strategy paper and pointed to the necessity of dialogue between the government and partners on the next, second paper.  “This forum gives an opportunity to analyze the work done and set ways to coordinate actions of donors, “ Ms. Dixon said.  

The meeting focused on the national poverty reduction strategy, perspective of energy, human potential, as well as ways of tackling the debt crisis in the country’s cotton sector.  

The forum participants included representatives from the United States, Russia, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, China, Canada, Iran, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as well as donor organizations such as the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the International Monetary Fund, etc.