DUSHANBE, December 14, 2011, Asia-Plus – On Tuesday December 13, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) organized a roundtable to discuss ways to develop and institutionalize public services in rural areas and to de-monopolize and decentralize water, and solid waste management, the U.S> Embassy in Dushanbe said.

Jeffrey Lehrer, Tajikistan Country Office Director for USAID, and Qahhor Oymatov from President’s Executive Office, welcomed participants and emphasized the importance of improving local government capacity to address the basic needs of the country’s citizens.

Mr. Lehrer stated, “The creation of competitive markets is a key aspect to sustaining services such as delivery of drinking water and solid waste management”.

Participants of the roundtable explored options to attract private sector investment to help foster competition, access additional financial resources such as subsidies from the national budget, and public private partnerships.  These recommendations will be consolidated and included in the program for the development of housing and communal services of the Republic of Tajikistan 2010-2025.

Since 2009, USAID’s Local Development Initiative has been helping national and local governments respond effectively to the most critical needs of the local citizens.

The USAID Local Development Initiative is one of the many assistance projects supported by the American people through USAID.  Since 1992, the U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe has provided $984 million in programs that support Tajikistan’s security, democratic institutions, the social sector, and economic growth.