DUSHANBE, January 23, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- The National Council for Development under the President of Tajikistan discussed outcomes of the poverty reduction strategy for 2007-2009 as well as draft poverty reduction strategy for 2010-2012 at a January 22 meeting, presided over by President Emomali Rahmon.

According to presidential press service, the meeting participants included representatives of the Academy of Sciences and entrepreneurs.

Speaking at the meeting, Minister of Economy and Trade Farrukh Hamraliyev noted that the new strategy was aimed at bringing public management in Tajikistan into compliance with international norms as well as promoting development of macroeconomics, expansion of regional cooperation and interaction with the world economy.

“The poverty rate was reduced from 72.4 percent in 2003 to 53 percent in 2007 and to 50 percent in 2009,” the minister said, expressing confidence that the poverty rate would decrease to 40 percent by 2012.

Some 5.3 billion U.S. dollars will be spent for implementation of the poverty reduction strategy for 2010-2012 while some 5 billion U.S. dollars had been spent for implementation of the previous poverty reduction strategies, presidential press said.