DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, August 12. The Government of Tajikistan and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed two grants for a total of $71 million, Trend reports.
According to the bank, this grant aims to help the country foster a climate-responsive business environment and support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the country, and expand the supply of renewable energy by further modernizing the Golovnaya hydropower plant.
Tajik Minister of Finance Fayziddin Qahhorzoda and ADB Country Director in Tajikistan Shanny Campbell signed the two grant agreements in Dushanbe.
The $50 million Enabling Climate-Responsive Business Environment Improvement Program aims to transform Tajikistan's business environment including through digitalization, reforms to increase exports, improving infrastructure governance, fiscal transparency, and support for climate-friendly SMEs.
The $21 million grant will replace the power generation unit 4 at the Golovnaya hydropower plant. Unit 4, which was not part of the ADB’s original project approved in 2013, ceased operations in 2019 due to damage in its mechanical equipment. With the hydropower plant’s modernization, its installed capacity will increase from 240 megawatts in 2012 to 274 megawatts by 2026.