DUSHANBE , June 28, Asia-Plus - On June 27, Tajikistan celebrated the ninth anniversary of Day of National Unity.  Nine years ago, On June 27, 1997 , the government and representatives from the United Tajik Opposition (UTO) signed a peace deal in Moscow accord, ending five years of civil war in Tajikistan .  Tens of thousands of people were killed during Tajikistan ''s civil war, and hundreds of thousands were displaced. 

The main activities to mark the Day of National Unity and Accord were held in the Rasht district in eastern Tajikistan .  Tajik President Emomali Rahmonov attended the holiday events in Rasht . 

Telling the holiday functions, President Rahmonov highly assessed economic development of Rasht Valley , noting a number of achievements obtained by the region in the field of agriculture, industry, social sector, etc.  

“A number of projects targeting various aspects of economy have been working Rasht Valley since 2000 and 72 million Somonis have to date been assimilated on these projects,” Emomali Rahmonov said.  

According to him, rehabilitation of the road from Dushanbe to Kyrgyz border (Dushanbe-Vahdat-Nurobod-Jirgatol-Saritash) will give a new impulse for further development of the eastern region of the country. 

On June 27, President Rahmonov also attended a ceremony of official commencement of the second stage of the project in the Nurobod district.   

A total cost of the project is 170 million Somonis, including the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) loan of some US$30 million, according to Rahmonov. 

The project, the second phase of the Dushanbe-Kyrgyz border road rehabilitation project, will improve about 77 kilometers of the Nurobod-Rasht-Tojikobod section of the road, along with rural roads.  This road project will reduce Tajikistan ’s isolation from the neighboring markets, and promote development of export industries in the country, thereby contributing to poverty reduction and sustainable growth.  Rahmonov noted that the Dushanbe-Saritash road is scheduled to be put into exploitation by 2008.  

This road will allow linking Tajikistan ’s Rasht Valley to Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan , Emomali Rahmonov said, noting that it was also part of a larger network providing links to the ocean ports of Iran and Pakistan to the south, and to the Russian Federation into the north.  

The president also noted that some 800 hectares of lands will have been irrigated in five districts of Rasht Valley this year that will allow increasing areas under gardens and potatoes.  In total, it is planned to develop 7,000 hectares of lands in eastern Tajikistan by 2010.