BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 1. President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon visited the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO), where a range of new projects spanning industry, energy, transport, tourism, and the social sector were presented, alongside priorities for the region’s further socio-economic development.
During his visit to Khorog, Emomali Rahmon commissioned several facilities, laid the foundations for new projects, and remotely commissioned 87 facilities across various districts of GBAO. Consequently, many of the initiatives presented during the visit are associated not only with ongoing construction, but also with the establishment of an infrastructure base intended to support the subsequent development of industry, energy, transport, tourism, and the social sector in the region.
The broader economic impact of these projects will depend primarily on the extent to which the newly established infrastructure is integrated with private investment and productive economic activity. In his address at a meeting with the heads and activists of GBAO, Emomali Rahmon identified industrial processing, investment, and job creation among the principal priorities for the region’s further development.
“The main objective should be to ensure that the share of industry in the region’s economy steadily increases, while its natural resources are processed as deeply as possible domestically and transformed into competitive products with high added value aimed at exports,” Emomali Rahmon said.
GBAO’s industrial base is already showing notable expansion. According to data cited by the head of state, the region currently has 202 industrial enterprises, compared with 13 in 1991. More than 190 new production enterprises have been established during the period of independence, including 54 enterprises that started operations in 2025 and another 21 during the first five months of 2026. Industrial output increased from 62 million somoni ($6.73 million) in 1993 to 337 million somoni ($36.6 million) in 2025, while the range of products expanded from 10 to 75 types.
Energy could become another driver of development. More than 3.4 billion somoni ($369.16 million) has been allocated to the energy sector of GBAO since independence, while 134 state investment projects worth 2.3 billion somoni ($249.73 million) have been implemented. Another 16 projects worth about 400 million somoni ($43.43 million) are currently underway. Installed generation capacity increased from 10.4 MW in 1991 to 75 MW in 2026. At the same time, 227 kilometers of transmission lines and 560 kilometers of new electricity networks were built in the region.
For the regional economy, this creates an opportunity for a gradual transition from addressing basic electricity supply needs to using electricity as a factor in industrial and digital development. This could be particularly important for agricultural processing enterprises, tourism infrastructure and small-scale production facilities in remote areas.
"The ultimate goal should be for the energy sector to continue serving as a reliable foundation for the development of industry, entrepreneurship, tourism, the digital economy, as well as improving the level and quality of life of the region’s population," Emomali Rahmon said.
Transport infrastructure is of particular importance for GBAO. During the period of independence, 13 state investment projects in the transport sector worth 2.3 billion somoni ($249.73 million) were implemented in the region, resulting in the construction and commissioning of 266 kilometers of roads, 32 bridges and two tunnels. In the coming years, work is expected to continue on the Rushon-Varshez, Varshez-Kulma-Karasu, Khorog–Ishkashim and Khorog–Roshtkala routes.
In particular, $22 million has been allocated for the reconstruction of the 90-kilometer Murghab–Kulma road and the restoration of the Kulma-Karasu border crossing, with construction work scheduled to begin in 2027. In addition, five state investment projects for the construction and reconstruction of roads and bridges, with a total value of about 6 billion somoni ($651.47 million), are planned. If these projects are implemented consistently, transport connectivity between GBAO, other regions of Tajikistan and external markets could expand, while creating conditions for increased freight transportation, trade and tourism flows.
Tourism is another area where infrastructure changes could have a long-term effect. GBAO currently has 52 large hotels, 79 small hotels and more than 2,100 service facilities. In 2025, more than 51,000 domestic and foreign tourists visited the region, while in the first half of 2026, more than 23,000 tourists visited, almost 30 percent more than in the same period of the previous year.
At the same time, further growth in tourism activity will depend on the quality of roads, access to remote sites, connectivity and internet availability, digitalization of services, training of guides and the ability of local businesses to attract investment. It is precisely the combination of transport, energy and tourism infrastructure that could determine how quickly tourism becomes a source of new jobs and income for the population.
"The Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region has broad opportunities for the development of mountaineering, ecological, historical and cultural, medical and wellness tourism thanks to its unique nature, Ismoil Somoni Peak, the Pamir mountain ranges, Tajik National Park, the international Pamir Highway, the Wakhan Valley, Sarez and Karakul lakes, healing springs, as well as historical and cultural monuments," Rahmon said.
Social infrastructure remains an important part of the region’s development program. Over the past 20 years, more than 2.3 billion somoni ($249.73 million) has been allocated from the state budget to education in GBAO, while 426 million somoni ($46.25 million) has been earmarked for 2026. During the years of independence, 226 general education institutions with more than 44,000 student places were built, while another 10 facilities with capacity for 2,500 students are under construction. In healthcare, the region’s budget exceeds 206 million somoni ($22.37 million) in 2026, while more than 1.2 billion somoni ($130.29 million) has been allocated to the sector over the past 20 years.
In the broader economic context, GBAO also has a growing base of income and employment. According to the data cited, the region’s gross product increased 93-fold over the past 25 years and reached 3 billion somoni ($325.73 million) in 2025. More than 120,000 jobs have been created during the years of independence, while more than 27,000 residents have received free vocational training and acquired various professional skills.
The further development of GBAO is likely to take shape across several interconnected areas. The expansion of the industrial base could receive additional momentum from new investment agreements, deeper processing of local raw materials and increased energy capacity. At the same time, the implementation of major road projects, including the routes to Kulma-Karasu, Khorog-Ishkashim and Khorog-Roshtkala, could improve the region’s transport connectivity with other parts of Tajikistan and external markets, creating additional conditions for growth in freight transportation, trade and transit.
Against this backdrop, improvements in transport and energy infrastructure could support the development of tourism, agriculture and related services. The expansion of hotel infrastructure, improved connectivity and training of specialists could increase the participation of local businesses in the tourism value chain, while the development of agricultural logistics and processing could reduce agricultural losses and enhance the market attractiveness of local products.
Taken together, this model implies mutually reinforcing infrastructure and economic projects. Energy and transport create the basic conditions for industry, agricultural processing and tourism, while investment and human capital development determine the pace of their implementation. At the same time, actual results will depend on the volume of investment attracted, the completion timelines for infrastructure projects, the efficiency of new production facilities, and the ability of enterprises to expand their presence in domestic and external markets.
