President Emomali Rahmon addressed a joint meeting of both chambers of parliament on December 21.

Concerning the economic development of the country, Rahmon, in particular, noted that an average annual economic growth has been provided at the level of 7.5 percent over the recent twenty years and the national budget’s revenues have increased from 252 million somonis to 28 million somonis. 

The country’s gross domestic product (GDP) reportedly increased from 1.8 billion somonis in 200 to 95 billion somonis in 2021.  

“In other words, the gross domestic product has increased almost 53 times, the national budget has increased 111 times, and GDP per capita rate has increased more than 30 times.  

 

About the affluence

Rahmon noted that 138,000 hectares of lands have been allotted for housing during the years of independence, while over 70 years of Soviet power, only 77,000 hectares had been allotted to the population.

“More than 8.8 million of our citizens have had the opportunity to improve their living conditions,” the president noted. 

According to him, the number of registered private cars has increased in the country from 216,000 in 1991 to more than 2 million.   .

“Taking into account the significance of industrial sector for further development of the country, solving social and economic issues and ensuring the achievement of the national strategic goals, including the accelerated industrialization of the country, I propose to declare 2022-2026 the years of development of industry in Tajikistan,” Rahmon said.   

During this period, it is necessary to create more than 500,000 new jobs, to increase the population’s cash incomes two times, to increase the share of middle class in the country to 45 percent, and thus to reduce the poverty rate to 15 percent, the head of state noted.  

He stated that the number of the country’s population will reach 10 million in 2022 and 11 million by 2026.  

 

About agriculture

Concerning the state of the agrarian sector, Rahmon noted that vegetable and fruit exports this year have increased by 70,000 tons compared to the last year, “but this is not enough.” 

“We should export 1 million tons of agricultural goops per year,” the head of state said.  

He also ordered banks to bring the volume of lending to 30 billion somonis by 2026.  

 

About role of woman in society

Emomali Rahmon ordered to develop the national program of training, selection and appointment of women to leadership positions for the period up to 2030.  

Currently, women make up 68% of health workers, 73 percent of employees of the educational sector, and 27 percent of research workers in the country. 

The head of state ordered to create conditions to increase the share of women in the government to 30 percent and increase the share of female administrators to 25 percent.  

Since 2015, the joint meeting of the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) and the Majlisi Milli (Tajikistan’s upper chamber of parliament) has taken place at the Kokhi Somon State Complex in Dushanbe.

Heads of all provinces, cities and districts as well as ministries and agencies attended the meeting.

All Tajik national television and radio channels broadcast the president’s annual address.  The Committee for TV and Radio-broadcasting even obligated independent radio stations to broadcast the address.

Students of higher educational institutions as well as senior students of high schools are gathered in their institutions’ auditoriums to watch Rahmon’s annual address.