Dushanbe hosted the Third National Forum of Entrepreneurs of Textile and Garment Enterprises - members of the Union of Private Sector Development of Tajikistan (UPSDT) on 10 June 2021.

The event was organized by the UPSDT in cooperation with the Ministry of Industry and New Technologies of Tajikistan, the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Tajikistan, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Tajikistan, and the International Trade Center (ITC)’s Global Textile and Clothing Program funded by the Government of Switzerland.

According to ITC Tajikistan, the forum focused on the following topic: “Processing of Domestic Cotton Fiber into the Final Competitive Export and Import-Substituting Products, Development of the Spinning, Weaving, Dyeing and Garment Industries as a Priority Direction of the Industrialization of the Economy of Tajikistan.”

The event was devoted to the professional Day of the Light Industry Workers, which was celebrated in Tajikistan on June 13.

Representatives of the textile and clothing companies, trade and business associations, consulting companies, related ministries and agencies, and international organizations gathered together to discuss development issues of the textile and clothing sector in the country. 

Mr. Fayzali Rajabov, UPSDT Chairman of Board, said: “Today, the event participants were introduced with the status of implementation on-going state programs and the current conditions of enterprises, as well as discussed the use of existing production facilities, the quality and pricing of manufactured products and their impact on competitiveness of enterprises both domestically and on the international market, the demand of the labor market and the quality of training qualified personnel for the industry. It should be noted that despite the challenges, most of our companies were able to adapt to new realities and new requirements of the textile market and launch the production of protective masks and wears.  The companies were able to meet the local market demands to the extent necessary and thereby supported the state and society in difficult times".

Saidmumin Kamolov, ITC Tajikistan National Program Manager, in his speech, noted: “The Global Textile and Clothing Program is coming to end this year.  We are proud to say that during the four-year period of implementation of this program in Tajikistan we have achieved decent results.  I also would like to note that with end of the GTEX program, the International Trade Center will not stop supporting the sector, but will continue cooperating with our partners in frame of other projects and in different directions, including new ones, such as promotion of electronic commerce”. 

At the forum, the UPSDT concluded its competition and announced winners in four nominations: “Best Sector Entrepreneur – 2021” among textile companies; “Best Sector Entrepreneur – 2021” among clothing companies; “Best Fashion Designer” among clothing companies’ designers; AND “Best Young Fashion Designer” among students of sectoral colleges and universities.  

The winners were awarded with the Badge of Honor and the UPSDT Diplomas.  The Ministry of Industry and New Technologies of Tajikistan also awarded some 13 textile leaders and specialists from sectoral companies with special diplomas and thank notes following the list provided by the UPSDT.

At the forum, the UPSDT members adopted an appeal to all workers of textile and clothing enterprises and heads of relevant ministries and departments.  The forum participants reportedly came to the conclusion that only in the case of creating a favorable business environment, increasing the level of legal, economic, and professional knowledge of entrepreneurs, removing barriers to the development of trade, training qualified engineers and workers of key specialties, efficient use of existing production facilities, ensuring the competitiveness of manufactured products in the domestic and foreign markets, the development of the country's textile and clothing industry, as well as assistance in achieving the goal of ensuring the final processing of domestic cotton fiber into competitive export and import-substituting products.

The Private Sector Development Union of Tajikistan, in partnership with relevant ministries and departments, as well as the development partners, will provide efforts to contribute to the country's textile and clothing industry.