DUSHANBE, October 25, Asia-Plus -- Tajikistan’s investment portfolio now includes 52 projects for a total amount of $1.367 billion, Sharif Rahimzoda, Chairman of the State Committee for Investment and Management of the State-owned Property, told journalists in Dushanbe on October 25. 

            According to him, borrowings amount to $1.066 billion (78 percent of the investment portfolio) and grants amount to $160 million (some 3 percent).  The government’s contribution is $99.51 million and $40.51 million are contributions of Barqi Tojik (Tajik electric systems) power holding, Tojikgaz (Tajik national natural-gas distributor) and other sources, Rahimzoda said.  

            “$300.27 million were planned to be used in January-September 2007,” said the committee head, “However, only little more than $162 million have been spent so far, which 54 percent of the target.”  

            Rahimzoda noted that the Committee has prepared 18 agreements on mutual protection of investments with other countries over the report period.

            The Committee considers that priority countries and organizations for attraction of direct investments are China, the United Kingdom, the United States, as well as the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and International Finance Corporation. 

The committee head noted that they had prepared a draft collection of rules for attraction, coordination and use of external aid and it will be submitted for consideration to the government in the near future.