The next meeting of the Project Steering Committee (PSC) for the Trade Promotion East (TPE) project took place in Dushanbe yesterday, bringing together key stakeholders to review the project's progress, strategic goals, and work plan for 2025.

Led by the International Trade Centre (ITC) and funded by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) of the Swiss Confederation, the TPE project is supporting Tajikistan’s dried fruits sector by strengthening export competitiveness, enhancing the local institutional capacities, and expanding access to new markets, ITC Tajikistan reports, noting that the PSC is a multi-stakeholder body that brings together representatives from relevant Tajik ministries and agencies, the private sector, educational institutions, and international partners — including the Government of Switzerland (the project’s donor) and the ITC.

The committee plays a crucial role in ensuring transparency and alignment of the project’s implementation with national priorities.

Tajikistan’s favorable climate and long-standing agricultural traditions make it an ideal producer of high-quality dried fruits such as apricots, cherries, nuts, grapes, and apples.  This sector is a vital source of income for rural communities and small agribusinesses, contributing significantly to the country’s agricultural exports. With growing global demand for healthy and natural food products, Tajikistan’s dried fruits—valued for their rich flavor and organic qualities—are gaining traction in international markets and playing an increasingly important role in strengthening the national economy.

Mr. Umed Solehzoda, Deputy Chairman of SUE Khurokvori under the Ministry of Industry and New Technologies of Tajikistan, emphasized ITC’s input in this work: “Thanks to ITC’s technical expertise and close collaboration with our national institutions and businesses, we are seeing concrete results in the dried fruits sector — a vital part of our economy.”

Since its launch in 2023, the TPE project has supported dozens of Tajik dried fruits processors and exporters.  With tailored advisory services, capacity-building initiatives, and participation in international trade fairs, beneficiary companies have achieved significant export growth, improved product quality, and strengthened their position in global markets.

Mr. Armen Zargaryan, ITC’s Program Coordinator for the Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, highlighted some of the project’s results achieved so far: “Our joint efforts have helped Tajik companies to enhance the knowledge of partner SMEs in priority areas, improve digital identity and branding, , and establish links with potential buyers from new regional markets.”

In addition to business support, the project is also enhancing the capacity of educational institutions and trade support organizations, laying the foundation for long-term sustainability.

“We are proud to see local institutions becoming more proactive and better equipped to serve exporters,” added Mr. Zargaryan.

ITC’s Trade Promotion East (TPE) is funded by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) of the Swiss Confederation.  Tajikistan is one of four countries, together with Uzbekistan, Albania, and Serbia, selected to be part of the TPE program.  The project will focus on the competitiveness and sustainable export growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from the dried fruits sector, as well as improving the capacities of business support organizations (BSOs) to provide quality services to SMEs.  Within its Cooperation program for Central Asia (2022-2025), Switzerland will focus on supporting economic, social, and democratic development, promoting an integrated and regional approach in the complex field of transboundary water management, strengthening economic ties, and promoting good governance.