DUSHANBE, October 9, 2014, Asia-Plus -- The Department for International Development (DFID) Tajikistan Office will provide financial and technical assistance for renovation and equipment of the building of the External Employment Agency in Dushanbe, the Ministry of Labor, Migration and Employment (MLME) press center reports.

This issue was reportedly discussed here Wednesday (October 8) at a meeting of Ms. Sumangul Taghoyeva, Minister of Labor, Migration and Employment of Tajikistan, with Mr. Robert Leverington, Head of DFID Tajikistan.

Ms. Taima Kurt, Head of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Mission in Tajikistan, also attended the meeting.

The sides reportedly also discussed issues related to implementation of the Central Asia Regional Migration Program.

This program concerns labor migration, which has played a key part in reducing poverty levels in Tajikistan, since most communities in rural areas are affected by migration, mainly to the Russian Federation and Kazakhstan.  Due to the complex nature of the labor migration this program takes on comprehensive and holistic measures to promote policies and institutional procedures to respect, protect and fulfill labor migrants’ rights throughout the migration cycle.

The Department for International Development (DFID) is the UK Government department responsible for promoting sustainable development, reducing poverty and achieving the millennium development goals. DFID started its bilateral programs in Tajikistan in 2003.  Since April 2012 DFID Tajikistan has become a regional office and oversees Kyrgyzstan program as well.

DFID works in partnership with the Governments of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan and the international donor community to support a country driven, result oriented, poverty reduction program.