The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will continue to support Tajikistan in implementing the Rogun hydroelectric power station construction project in 2025. This was announced by the new ADB Country Director in the republic, Ko Sakamoto, at a meeting with journalists on February 25.

“We understand that the completion of the Rogun hydroelectric power station is a priority for the government of Tajikistan,” he noted.

This project is important not only for Tajikistan’s energy independence, but also for the sustainable development of the entire region, including the fight against climate change, he said. Sakamoto also said that the ADB was invited to join a consortium of international financial institutions working on financing and implementing the project. As part of this cooperation, the government of Tajikistan has requested financial assistance in the amount of about $500 million, and this issue is currently being considered.

“ADB will continue to support the project and will share information on the progress of negotiations and agreements reached as they are concluded,” he added.

Last year, ADB assistance to Tajikistan amounted to $220 million. These funds were used to implement six new projects in such sectors as agriculture, energy, health, public administration and transport.

ADB Priorities in 2025

Ko Sakamoto shared the bank’s plans for 2025, identifying three main areas for further cooperation with Tajikistan:

1. Development of a new partnership strategy for 2026-2030

One of the main priorities is the development of a new five-year partnership strategy with Tajikistan for the period 2026-2030. This document will be updated every five years depending on the national priorities and development objectives of the country. The current strategy is nearing completion, and work on a new plan has already begun.

2. Preserving glaciers and combating climate change

The second important area is support for glacier conservation. Ko Sakamoto recalled that 2025 has been declared the International Year of Glacier Conservation, as well as the beginning of the Decade of Action for Cryospheric Sciences, which will last until 2034. ADB actively supports Tajikistan in its leadership role in glacier protection, and also works with other countries in the region on projects aimed at increasing resilience to climate change and reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

“Preserving glaciers is critically important because more than 2 billion people in the region depend on water resources provided by glaciers for drinking, hydropower, agriculture and other important areas,” Sakamoto said.

At the end of May, an international conference on glacier conservation will be held in Dushanbe, and at the end of the year, an important climate meeting will be held in Brazil.

3. New projects for 2025

ADB is preparing four new projects for 2025 that are expected to be approved by the end of the year. One of them is on digital agricultural management to improve food security.

The Asian Development Bank has been cooperating with Tajikistan since 1998. During this time, ADB has approved more than 198 projects for Tajikistan totaling over $2.7 billion. Of these, more than $2.2 billion were provided in the form of grants. These projects include improving transport and energy infrastructure, developing urban economy, supporting healthcare and education, and helping to overcome the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.