DUSHANBE, June 4, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- Issues related to expansion of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Switzerland in the field of energy were discussed in Bern, Switzerland at a meeting of Mr. Gul Sherali, Minister of Energy and Industries of Tajikistan, with Ms. Doris Leuthard, Head of the Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications of Switzerland, the Ministry of Energy and Industries (MoEI)’s press office reports. 

In the course of the talks, the two reportedly discussed the possibility of participation of Switzerland in hydroelectricity projects in Tajikistan.

Gul Sherali informed Doris Leuthard of state and prospects of development of Tajikistan’s energy sector.

Ms. Leuthard, for her part, noted that Switzerland has huge experience in designing, constructing and operating large dams, the source said.  According to her, some 60 percent of electricity I Switzerland is generated by hydropower plants.

Doris Leuthard is a Swiss politician and lawyer.  Since 1 August 2006, she has been a member of the Swiss Federal Council. From 1 August 2006 till 31 October 2010 she was head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs (the Swiss economics minister).  Since 1 November 2010 she is head of the Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications. She was elected President of the Confederation for 2010.

The Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications is one of the seven departments of the Swiss federal government.

The source at a MoEI says the meeting took place on sidelines of the international symposium “Dams and Reservoirs under Changing Challenges” that took place during the 79th Annual Meeting of the International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD) in Lucerne, Switzerland from May 29 to June 3, 2011.

With a surface area of approximately 40 000 km2 and 205 large dams in operation, Switzerland is the country with the highest density of dams in the world.  48 dams exceed 60 meters in height, and 25 are more than 100 meters high.  With a height of 285 meters, the almost 50-year-old Grande Dixence dam is still the highest concrete dam in the world.  All dams are well integrated in the environment and contribute to the economic prosperity of the country.