Presided over by President Emomali Rahmon, a regular meeting of the National Development Council (Council) took place in Dushanbe on July 3.

According to the Tajik president’s official website, the meeting was attended by members of the Council, representatives of representatives of the Development Coordination Council (it functions as development partners' coordinating mechanism with the GoT), heads of relevant ministries and agencies, representatives of non-governmental and international organizations.

The meeting reportedly reviewed the progress in implementation of national priorities and strategic goals of Tajikistan in the framework of the national development strategy for the period up to 2030 and the medium-term development program designed for 2016-2020 in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).   

Speaking at the meeting, Emomali Rahmon noted that the main priorities of the country’s development for a long term period covered the issues of education, health care, employment, food security and access to food products of high quality, energy independence, break in the transportation deadlock, combating corruption, efficient management, environmental protection and management of demographic processes.

Rahmon reportedly appreciated development partners’ active participation in implementation of Tajikistan’s strategic goals. 

He noted that raising the standard of living of the population was the highest goal of the country’s long-term development program.  

The Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Nematullo Hikmatullozoda, delivered a report at the meeting.         

Dr. Pratibha Mehta, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, Mr. Jan-Peter Olters, World Bank Country Manager for Tajikistan also Chairman of the Development Coordination Council, and Ambassador Hidajet Biscevic, Head of the European Delegation to Tajikistan, participated in discussions.

Speaking at the meeting, Dr. Pratibha Mehta, in particular, noted that “the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, adopted by Tajikistan along with all the other UN Member States in September 2015, aims at ending poverty in all its forms through 17 Sustainable Development Goals, including the “unfinished business” under the earlier Millennium Development Goals. It envisages a world free of poverty and ensuring human rights, equality and non-discrimination with a core principle to “leave no one behind”.

“In the context of Tajikistan, those at risk of being left behind include 21% of children suffering from stunting. 50% of all maternal and child malnutrition is associated with lack of safe drinking water and inadequate sanitation.  While, Tajikistan has been very successful in reducing overall poverty rates, it remains high in rural areas, in 2017, only 12% rural population reported having no problems with access to adequate food,” she said.

Dr. Pratibha Mehta While noted that the NDS was more than 70% aligned with the SDGs, significant gaps remain, particularly in relation to SDG 1 on Poverty, SDG 2 on Hunger, SDG 10 on Inequalities, SDG 12 on Sustainable Consumption and Production, and SDG 16 on rule of law and Inclusive Societies. “But even those SDGs that are very well integrated would need tremendous implementation efforts to be achieved,” she noted.