DUSHANBE, September 4, Asia-Plus - A two-day seminar on issues related to elaborating a system of monitoring a progress of realization of the Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) in Tajikistan is ending today.   

The seminar, staged by the ADB as part of a joint project run by the ADB and MoEDT, has brought together representatives from Tajik ministries, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Mission to Tajikistan, UNDP CO in Tajikistan, etc.  

The main objective of the seminar is to involve all interested parties in work on creation of a system of monitoring a progress of realization of the PRS in Tajikistan.  The seminar aims to make specialists from Tajik ministries and organization familiar with projects being implemented within the framework of the PRS as well as experience of other countries in alleviating poverty.

Today, the seminar participants are expected to submit for consideration their versions of systems of monitoring the realization of the poverty reduction strategy in the country, format of reports, as well as define a list of indices of the monitoring system.  

Deputy Economic Development and Trade Minister, Abdughaffor Rahmonov telling the seminar yesterday noted that a survey conducted by Tajik experts has shown that the level of poverty in Tajikistan has reduced to 57 percent.  “Now, international experts will give their assessment of the rate of poverty reduction in the country and these results will be published soon,” the deputy minister said.  

As it had been reported earlier, Tajikistan intends to reduce the poverty level to 32 percent by 2015.  According to survey of international financial institutions, the poverty level in 1999 was 83 percent, ad in 2004, it reduced to 64 percent.  

To achieve goals of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Tajikistan needs to attract $13 billion.